The Spark
by Senta1000
Summary: As they leap into 6th year, Rose, Scorpius, Albus, and their friends face new challenges. Rose's nights are disturbed by dreams, and the shadow grows clearer in the backround. Albus and Scorpius battle affections for girls they think they can never have.
1. The Three Words

**Author's Note: Sooo... I promised to post this on April 10th, and I have! Just saying, don't read this if you haven't read _The New Generation, _this story is a sequel to that. I've got AMAZING things planned for 6th year, so stay tuned! I'm going to be posting 1-2 times a week as usual, I'll try to post 2 times, but one time will be definite on the weekend. I hope you guys will stay with me! I'll get some Scorpius/Rose action in this year, I promise, even though it's only at the very end. Nicaragua was so fun, I keep telling people about the "bug story" which is so hilarious, so ask me about if you know me, I'll be happy to fill you in. And I hope to write down the story soon enough, and when I do I will post it on my profile! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 1: The Three Words**

"Rose, get up! We have to get to Kings Cross on time!" my mum shouted up to my room. I rolled over to look at the clock sitting on my bedside table and groaned. It was six thirty! Six thirty! I made to close my eyes again, then sat bolt upright. Today was… Today was… Today was the first day of the new school year at Hogwarts, which made it the beginning of my sixth year! I jumped out of bed and prodded Lina, who was lying on the floor immobile, her deep sleeping habits not disturbed by my mother's yelling.

"Come on Lina, get up! It's September 1st!" I yelled into my best friend's ear. She sat up and rubbed her weary eyes and grumbled.

"What's so special about September 1st?" she muttered as I ran into the bathroom to take a shower.

"It's the first day of school you dimwit!" I yelled back out to her.

"And your point is?" she grumbled back at me, and I laughed as I heard her head hit the pillow once more. I decided to bribe her with something else.

"If you don't get up right now, you might not catch James before he goes into the Auror office!" I yelled out to her from the shower.

"Nah, James will stay and come with us, I heard him say it to your mum yesterday." Lina said to me, but I could hear her opening her trunk to get an outfit. I smirked to myself, letting the warm water run down my back. I finished my shower and turned the water off, wrapping a towel around my body and opening the door.

"About time!" Lina grumbled, pushing past me and into the bathroom and slamming the door behind her.

"Love you too Lina!" I yelled after her.

"In a completely platonic way I'm sure. Otherwise James would be quite disappointed." Hugo said, walking into my room and smirking at me.

"What's up Hugo?" I asked my little brother.

"Oh, nothing, just wondering what all the yelling was about. Now it seems I know…" Hugo answered, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at me. I smirked and pushed him out of my room.

"Save that for school pretty boy." I said after him, and I heard him laugh as he walked back down the stairs. I shook my head and turned to my trunk to look for a outfit for the day. I chose a fawn colored lacy form fitting top and dark blue skinny jeans, putting on blue and brown plaid flats. I chose to leave my hair down and put a bit of makeup on—just concealer and light blue eye shadow— and I was ready to go.

Lina walked out of the bathroom all ready, we linked arms and skipped downstairs to where my mum was making breakfast.

"Morning mum," I said to her as I took a seat at the long Weasley table that was not really needed anymore except when we had friends over.

"Are you excited to go back?" she asked me cheerfully, waving her wand so the pan tipped a couple of pancakes and sausages onto my plate.

"Very. Can't wait to see Frank again, also Gracie, Abigail, Scorpius, and everyone!" I said excitably, digging into my breakfast, Lina next to me doing the same thing.

"You see enough of Frank as it is!" My dad said from the end of the table, pointing a sausage at me. I knew what he was referring to, of course. During the summer when the Longbottoms had come over to the Burrow, Dad had walked in on me and Frank making out in my room when he was sent to call me to dinner, and had been cold on the subject of him ever since. Lina giggled, I had told her about the event in a letter earlier in the summer, and both me and my dad glared at her. She put on an innocent look and my dad continued giving her the evil eye, which made Hugo and I burst out into silent laughter, which he ignored as he turned back to his sausages.

-A+R+S-

"Take care of yourselves, and Hugo, _behave_! I don't want any more letters from school, do I make myself clear? That goes for you too Rose." My mum said sternly to my brother and I, a serious expression on her face. Hugo nodded vigorously, obviously not keen on repeating the last incident. Last year he had managed to get caught in a broom closet with a girl after curfew, and no one believed what he said about playing Hide and Seek. I smirked at my mother's antics, but sobered as she turned her gaze onto me.

"Yes mum." I said obediently, not intending to change my ways at all, with our without my mother's scolding. She, it seemed, was still quite put out that Hugo nor I had been made prefects, having inherited our father's distaste for the position. She attempted to give Hugo a hug, he ducked out of her way, and she settled with just me.

"Did you see where Lina ran off to?" I asked Hugo as we set off across the station, tugging our trunks behind us.

"I have a strong suspicion that wherever she is James is there too. He seems to be doing exactly what he resented in Teddy on our first year." Albus said from behind us, and we both turned to see Scorpius, him, and Lily. I pulled Al into a hug, and then Scorpius, studying them. I hadn't seen either of them in a month, since just yesterday their family had returned from a holiday in the US, Scorpius' from their summer home.

"So, how was America?" I asked Al and Lily.

"Weird. They all had weird voices and they didn't have food like we do here, good stuff." Albus said, and, as if an afterthought, added, "The girls are hot there too though." Lily groaned and pretended to puke.

"Albus _hooked up_ with one of the girls he had over to the house we rented, _right in the middle of the living room._ It was _disgusting._" I laughed, and patted Lily's shoulder comforting, having experienced similar things with him.

"Hey, I'm a guy, I can't help myself!" Al defended his actions, putting his hands up in surrender and pretending to look hurt.

"I don't even want to know what kind of conversation led up to that statement." A voice said from behind us. I turned and shrieked as I saw Gracie(the one who spoke) and Abby behind us. I pulled Abby into a hug, and I saw Al embrace Gracie, happy smiles on both of their faces. I exchanged a glance with Scorpius, an unspoken message in our eyes. A few weeks before summer, Al had claimed to be over Gracie, but neither of us had believed that for a second.

"How are you doing, Rosie?" Scorpius asked me.

"Splendidly, you?" I answered with a mock bow.

"Same. I had a great summer." Just then something hit me. I hit myself in the forehead with my hand.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Good job getting Captain!" I congratulated him. He smirked and hit me playfully on the shoulder.

"Well, of course I got Captain. Who else? Miss Disorganized and Mr. I-like-to-eat-hey-i'm-not-fat were kind of out of the question." Instead of being offended, I laughed. Albus turned around indignantly.

"I heard that!" he exclaimed. Scorpius laughed and slapped his best friend on the back.

"I know Al, I know."

"What'd I miss?" Lina ran in, her hair mussed and lips swollen. We all fell silent, looking at each other with amusement, and then all burst out laughing. Lina huffed, crossing her arms over her poorly re-buttoned shirt.

"You making sure he's had enough to tide him over for the whole year, eh, Lina?" Albus winked at her. She smirked at him.

"Why no, Al, that's for the bedroom!" Lina said in mock surprise. Albus looked absolutely horrified at this thought, along with Lily, which made Scorpius and I laugh all the harder, Lina joining us. Al was bumping his head against his hand repeatedly.

"Get that thought out of my head please! It's not RIGHT!" He yelled at Lina, who giggled furiously. Two hands covered my eyes and I gasped.

"Frank!" My vision was returned as my boyfriend took his hands off of my eyes. I turned around to look at him, taking in the fact that he had grown a few inches since I had last seen him, and his hair had been cut shorter. He lifted my chin and gave me a long kiss.

"Do you really have to do that in public?" Al said in disgust, covering his eyes. Scorpius copied him and pretended to retch as he did so. Lily shook her head at the two boys' antics.

"Actually, we kind of do." Frank said in amusement. "That's part of being a couple." Both Al and Scorpius looked horrified at the word 'couple', as if they had never heard of a worse term.

"Well, we really should get onto the train." Lina said, checking her watch. Scorpius smirked and nudged Al in the ribs, muttering to his best friend "In bed." Al laughed and I shook my head in exasperation at the two friends.

-A+R+S-

I watched as the platform disappeared from our sight then followed Al to our compartment. I turned and motioned for Rose to follow, but she didn't move, only smiled apologetically at me.

"What's up?" I asked her confusedly.

"I kind of promised Frank I'd sit with him this time." Rose said, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"But it's our tradition to sit in our same compartment every year, together." I said, wary of what her answer might be, and sure enough:

"We still have another year for that. This is Frank's last time."

"Sure, whatever." I turned and headed toward the compartment that Al had entered.

"Where's Rose?" Al asked as I entered the compartment.

"With Longbottom." I answered flatly. Al nodded and an awkward silence ensued. "He's changing her." I said suddenly.

"What makes you say that?" Al asked, leaning forward into his seat to look at me.

"Well, for one, she's spending less time with us and more with the girls, planning out dates and that crap. She's also not doing as many pranks and stuff, getting into less detentions, she's more Miss perfect perfect. She's less Rose." I said in a rush, putting my point across to Al as he continued to give me a calculating gaze.

"You're right." Albus' voice was slightly bitter as he recalled all the fun times that had disappeared when Rose had started dating Frank. "She's been different, more girly, giggling and stuff. She's changing for him, and it's not good."

"We have to do something."

"But what? She's happy with him as far as I know, and who are we to doubt that?" Al replied hopelessly. I snorted.

"Her friends." He gave me a look and I shut up.

"But, mate, we're not called the new Marauders without a reason. If we want to do something..." Al said, uncertainty playing across his face. I shook my head.

"No. She's happy, like you said."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"Why are we acting so serious? Come on, lets have fun!"

-A+R+S-

I sat down in the illuminated Great Hall, looking up at the carved pumpkins that were already present in preparation for the yearly Halloween dance. The train ride to the castle was somewhat uneventful, mostly Frank and his friends talked and I sat with the uncomfortable feeling of not knowing anyone until Grace Longbottom entered the compartment and decided I looked like I needed someone to talk to. She was a year younger than me along with her twin Alice, but I thought personally that Grace was the interesting twin, not as boy crazy if you ask me. We had an interesting conversation, in which we shared the most random things about us, including our middle names. _My father used to be in love with a girl called Luna, you know, Lysander and Lorcan's mother. That's my middle name. I've always thought it was weird, naming your daughter with someone else after your first love._ Grace had said. Mine was plain and obvious. Jean was my mother's middle name, along with her mother's first name. I told her that my cousin Molly's middle name, Autumn, was the one that I had always wanted, especially as a child. The whole conversation Grace didn't ask me about me and Frank, but I didn't mind. At the end of the train ride, I decided to go ahead and like Grace Longbottom.

I turned my attention back onto the Sorting, which so far was just a bunch of little Hufflepuffs. As I watched, a minuscule girl with flaming red hair and plenty of freckles(not one of my relatives) called "Cyrton, Sarah" was sorted into Gryffindor, and skipped over to the table to sit next to a girl who I presumed was her older sister. _And now for the next round of everyone asking "is she related to you?"._ I thought disdainfully as some of my cousins sighed as well, obviously following my drift. As if to confirm this thought, Scorpius leaned over across the table to me with his trademark smirk plastered on his face, and opened his mouth.

"So, is she like—" he started, and I held up my hand to interrupt him.

"Don't even finish that sentence." Scorpius leaned back and held up his hands in mock-surrender as he realized that not only me, but all the Weasley/Potters were glaring at him. And, as you know, having the whole Weasley/Potter population glaring at you might be a little like having a horde of ginger rabid monkeys staring at you murderously. Same danger, I assure you.

Anyway, once the sorting was over, Professor McGonagall stood and greeted the hall. The professor was getting old, and soon she would have to retire and let one of the other younger professors take her job. I hoped that she would last until my last year, though. She started with the usual "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts" and continued on to repeat the age-old rules that Filch, the teachers, or the founders had set into place. The three words for this year were game, chat, and bruise. It was weird, the three words always seemed to correspond to what happened to me that year. For example, last year the words were meet, scare, and hitch. I met Nott, he scared me, and Victoire and Teddy got married. And in first year, the words were twit, lingo, and lovesick. A foreign exchange student came to Hogwarts that year, speaking no English, but Bulgarian, leaving me lovesick, looking like a twit when it was revealed that he actually did speak perfect English but was making fun of us all. Oh, and did I mention that the portrait of Dumbledore himself came up with these? Hopefully this year would be fine, though. Maybe I would play in a Quidditch game, get a bruise, and have a chat with the nurse or somebody.

Who knows? Every year is interesting, and I'll be in for a surprise no matter what the three words are. Just then the food appeared onto the sparkling platters, and the Hall erupted into talk as the students dug in to the bounty. I stopped daydreaming and turned my attention to plate, loading it with food. Louis laughed as I dug into my potatoes and poked my belly.

"Slow down, you don't want to get fat, do you?" he joked. I nodded and slowed down, but looked across the table and met Scorpius' eyes, which were filled with concern. To tell him it was okay, I rolled my eyes and pointed to where Louis was now eating like he would never see food again. It was reasonable why Scorpius got tense when someone made a comment like that, but after all, it had been nearly three years. It was because he was the only one who knew about the time in third year when I had had anorexia because of what some dumb boy that I had liked at the time had made a joking comment about my eating habits. He had single-handedly helped me through it, and we had come out closer. Since then, he had been tense when anyone mentioned anything to do with my eating habits or weight to me. It's cute, but I know not to overreact now.

Once the dishes are devoid of food and the glasses empty, the students sleepy and with full bellies, the headmistress stands once again and dismisses us. The prefects of 5th year, Lily and Lorcan, stand and gesture for the first years to follow them. Lorcan laughed as one of them tripped his friend, who fell on his face. Lily flipped Lorcan off un-discreetly and helped the boy up, then turned back to lead the group, Lorcan walking casually at the end of the group. I hid my laughter poorly, a loud snort that Lily apparently heard, and she turned around and flipped me off as well, this time being discreet. You see, Lily and Lorcan had had a long-time rivalry, as their were both the best-looking, most popular, and stubbornest girl and boy of their year. Many people cooed over how perfect a couple they would be, and every time they heard this, Lorcan would give a trademark smirk and Lily would hit, flip off, or give a detention to the bearer of these words. Due to the fact that they were also the two top students of their year, no one doubted the fact that they would be Head Boy and Girl in their seventh year, so they probably would have to figure things out before that inevitability happened.

But I had better things to do than worry about my cousin's love life, I thought as I flopped down onto my comfortable mattress in the girls dormitories. I was back at Hogwarts. I was with my friends. I had a nice boyfriend. What could go wrong now? I thought this as I drifted off to sleep, still dressed, on my bed. Dreams were mysterious things, though. And for some of them you don't need to take Divination to translate. They tell the future well enough...


	2. Entice Me To Leave You

**Author's Note: Hi people! So, to start this chapter off, I want to say that this chapter has 'adult content' not like swearing, that's not really adult content, but, you know, actual adult content, as in, sex. So, I know even with my warning you will read it, but if you are all like 'eww they're having sex' don't say I didn't warn you. I'm not really writing out the whole thing though, don't worry. Also, I would really like you all to check out my website for these fanfiction stories here: .com/ because I worked on it very very hard and I hope you're satisfied with the "Stories" part of it. The summaries are extended, so you might like to read those to get an idea of what you'll expect from me in the future with this story, _Us,_ and other stories like this. Yes, I do ship Lily/Lorcan. Yes I will be writing a story about them. Meanwhile, enjoy!**

**Chapter 2: Entice Me to Leave You**

_I walked alone through the deserted corridors, feeling the cold as if it was part of my body, hearing the noises that came from many nooks and crannies, unafraid, but only for this moment…_

I woke up into my bed suddenly, my palms sweating as I tried to recall the details of my dream. I sighed in distress as I realized that I could remember none. Rolling onto my side, I turned the clock upwards from where it sat on my beside table, looking to see the time. It was one thirty in the morning.

"Come on…" I let out the words as an annoyed whisper and turned back over in my comfortable bed. I closed my eyes. _Maybe now I will have more pleasant dreams…_ I thought as I drifted back into sleep.

-A+R+S-

I woke up to the sound of Lina yelling. "Oy, sleeping ugly! Wakey Wakey!" I groaned and buried my head in my soft pillow before it was yanked away from me. I turned to see a triumphant Lina holding my pillow. "You used that on me last year, payback." She said, referring to the 'wake-up line'.

"I was dreaming." I grumbled at her.

"Lina's sorry for disturbing you sex dreams about you prudish boyfriend Longbottom, aren't you Lina?" Abby called out from the shower. I squealed in indignant protest. Abby was not letting go of the fact that over the summer when I told Frank that I was, you know, ready, he said he believed in waiting till marriage, therefore embarrassing me. I felt around in my trunk for an outfit and pulled one on, pulling a brush hastily through my hair as I did.

"The fact that he believes in waiting until marriage doesn't mean he's a prude Abs!" I shrieked back to her as Lina chuckled appreciatively. I glared at her.

"Just because you lost your big V over the summer with James doesn't mean that you're all high and mighty now Joline!" I added to her. She stared at me in horror.

"You WHAT?" Gracie and Abby said in unison, the latter coming out from the bathroom. Gracie looked horrified in a way that made her petite face look cute, and Abby looked ecstatic that now she had a fellow non-virgin in our group(she had lost it to some Ravenclaw sixth year when she was in fifth).

"Why did you have to say that?" Lina groaned and I winced. Abby made a motion with her hand to tell them, and the look on her face added 'or die' to the statement. Lina sighed. "It just kind of... happened. I was over at the Potters for a dinner with Rose, we went up to his room, and we were talking. He was being so sweet that I just kissed him, then we started making out and, well..." she smiled slightly at the memory.

"Was he, you know, good?" Abby asked greedily.

"I think so." Lina whispered ashamedly.

"What do you mean, you _think_ so?" Abby asked impatiently.

"I mean I have nothing to compare it to. But, yeah, I don't see how sex could get any better than that." she grinned again, and my heart twinged. It was true, I didn't need sex for love, but I doubted whether or not I _actually _loved Frank. True, he seemed like my soulmate sometimes, but others it seemed like there was something missing. Some kind of attraction, devotion, that didn't tie me to him.

"He must have been, from what I have heard about his kissing skills alone..." Abby said "And that's compared to S—" she stopped herself just in time, looking around uncomfortably. An uncomfortable feeling developed in my stomach.

"Compared to who?" I asked a guilty Abby. She looked at me desperately.

"I'm sorry! I should have told you when it happened, we just kind of, hooked up, and I... well... I just..." she wrung her hands guiltily like a small child caught stealing cookies.

"Abby SPILL." I said firmly.

"I slept with Scorpius!" she burst out, looking at me for forgiveness.

"You did WHAT?" I screamed.

"He was kind of down, and we hooked up and then one thing led to another, and... please don't be angry with me!" she begged. I advanced on her.

"Let me get this straight. Scorpius seemed sad, so you decided, what better to cheer him up than sex?" I screamed at my friend. She cringed backwards. I was too mad to register her apologies, never had I realized how slutty my friend was until that moment. "You are such a slut sometimes Abby!" I stormed out of the dorm in a rage, went down the staircase, then stormed up another staircase, finally reaching the boys dormitories. I barged into it without knocking, finding all the boys sound asleep. _Perfect._

I walked silently over to Scorpius' four poster bed where he was sleeping soundly. Casting a silencing spell around the bed, I flicked my wand and thought '_Levicorpus'._ A strangled yell sounded as a notification that my spell had worked. I opened the I could see the now-upside-down-in-mid-air-Scorpius-Malfoy, while his dorm mates continued to sleep soundly.

"What the bloody hell are you doing Rose?" Scorpius whispered as I sat on his bed across from his upside-down face.

"There's no reason to whisper, there's a silencing charm," I said in a normal voice, and Scorpius shuddered, as if I had added 'there's no one to hear you scream'.

"What is this about?" He said in a resigned voice as his head continued to turn redder. As if realizing this, he said, "Can you please put me down?" I flicked my wand and he fell on a heap of sheets, straightening up immediately.

"Abby." I answered, wondering how long it would take him to catch on. Very fast, it appeared.

"Oh, **that."** he said resignedly, ruffling his blond hair in a tired way.

"Yeah, **that.** When were you planning to tell me that you slept with one of my roommates? Just another one of your twenty or something, right?" I said indignantly, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Who knows, maybe I've slept with more than one of your roommates?" he said and winked seductively, which earned him a slap over the head.

"Well, I know you haven't slept with Amber or Riley because I would have heard about it for weeks on end afterward. I know that Gracie is still a virgin like me, and Lina lost it with James over the summer, and she would never do it with you anyway." I said impatiently, unknowingly giving a whole lot of information to him.

"Wow, I could make some nasty rumors out of all that." Scorpius said jokingly, and I tried to hit him again. He dodged. "So, for one, Lina lost it to James this summer?" I nodded dully, I should probably go yelling it to the whole school, I might as well at this rate.

"And Gracie is a virgin. I thought she'd have lost it by now, all the guys that have the hots for her you know." Saying this, his eyes trailed over Al's bed, and my eyes followed his.

"You don't believe that he doesn't like her anymore either, then?" I asked Scorpius, looking at Al's sleeping form sadly.

"Nah, he doesn't make much effort hiding it, does he?" Scorpius, said then looked back at me. "Enough with that. What about you? You're still a virgin too." His piercing gaze met mine, speaking for itself and saying something along the lines of 'Longbottom'. I looked away, a slight blush creeping over my cheeks.

"He wants to wait." I said, still not looking at Scorpius.

"And you want to." Scorpius said flatly, no tone or emotion in his voice. "Prude." He muttered under his breath.

"Scorpius!"

"Sorry, sorry."

"I just don't want her to be one of your many girls you've slept with." I said, and Scorpius looked surprised.

"You know, I haven't actually slept with many girls, only two or three." he said, ruffling his hair.

"But Al said—"

"It's somewhat of a joke with me and Al, you know. How many girls I've slept with. It's mainly because— and I shouldn't really be telling you this— but Al hasn't slept with anyone yet."

"Anyway, that's not what we were talking about. We were talking about Abby and you and your little 'hook-up'." I said to him, trying to hide my surprise on the matter.

"I just don't really get why it bothers you."

"It doesn't, I'd just like it if you told me, so I wouldn't have to find out _this _way." I said lightly. "And maybe when you're 'down' next time you could talk to me or Al or someone, not have sex."

"'Kay Rosie. Next time you storm into my dormitories though, please wake me up _before_ you hang me upside-down in the air from my ankle."

"I might keep that it mind for next time." I said, sliding off his bed and taking the silencing charm off his bed.

"You'll be the death of me Rose Weasley!" He yelled after me, and, because I had conveniently forgot to tell him about the lifting of the charm, waking his dorm mates in the process, a fact that they were far from happy about. Merlin I love torturing him.

-A+R+S-

_Dear James,_

_ So far life is boring back at Hogwarts. Dull without you, I have to admit, but I hate expanding your ego even bigger than it already is. How're the Auror tests going? Are they as bad as your dad told me from when he took them? Hopefully not. I can think of one thing that is drama-full being back here: Abigail and Gracie and— as far as I've heard from Rosie— Scorpius too, know about summer. As in, our summer. As in, summer night in your room when we came over to your house. Get the gist? I'm still waiting for Rosie to dump Frank and go for Scorpius, she has even said that she doesn't think she loves him, that they're something missing. Something missing. Some**one** missing. God, she's clueless, she really is. Apparently, Longbottom still wants to wait 'till marriage. She's got to be fed up with his boy scout act by now. I know I would be. Missing you greatly. _

_All my love,_

_Lina_

I re-read the letter to James, sighing as I came to the last line. I did miss James greatly, so much. I missed his laugh, his amber eyes, the messy disarray that was his hair, the taste of his lips on mine. It was love. I had told him so over the summer, but come to that conclusion much before. I remembered our "conversation".

_*Flashback to summer*_

"_Hi Uncle Ron, Aunt Hermione, Hugo. Hey Rose, Lina." Al said as he opened the door to our arrival, welcoming us inside. I nodded my greeting to Al and Lily, looking past them to see James in the doorway. He bounded up to me, kissing me on the lips and whispering 'hi' on them, then putting his arms around me. Al groaned loudly as Lily giggled along with Rose. _

"_Dinner will be in a few hours, so make yourselves busy." Hermione said to us, and we scurried upstairs. Al, Lily, and Rose headed towards Al's room, but I waved their invitations to join them away and followed James to his room. When we reached it he shut the door behind us and claimed my lips in his. I didn't protest, backing up to a wall and letting him press me up against it. He kissed me softly but passionately, and my mouth was begging for more._

_I deepened the kiss, putting my hand on his neck, pulling his body closer to mine. His lips traveled, lowering to my neck and my collar bone. I gasped as he nipped me, my hands pressing against the wood of the wall. He traveled back up to my face, moving from my cheek to my lips, kissing each inch of skin softly. I found the edge of his shirt and pulled it up, over his head, revealing his muscles._

_ He kissed the base of my neck again and I groaned, my muscles tensing. He moved lower over my breasts, kissing lower. I felt his hair and ruffled it, running my hands through it. He moved back up to my neck, then to my mouth, kissing passionately. I pulled my shirt over my head, revealing my bra. He pulled his mouth back._

_ "Are you sure Lina?" He asked hesitantly, looking at my exposed skin reluctantly. _

_ "Never surer." I said to him, breathing heavily. "I love you, I really do."_

_ "I love you too." he said, kissing me sweetly._

_ "What about protection?" I said, remembering suddenly._

_ "I got it. Thought I might get lucky." he said, and I shook my head and let him continue to kiss me._

_ I lay in James' bed with him breathing hard next to me. A knock sounded on the door, and it opened to reveal Rose in the doorway._

_ "Aunt Ginny and Mum told me to get you for dinner, so—" Rose started, then stopped mid-sentence as she saw our naked state. She turned a dark shade of red and closed the door back after her. Through the door she said: "So you might want to get dressed and come down." I groaned and rolled out of James' bed and onto the floor. James laughed._

_ "She hasn't done it yet, has she?" he asked with an amused smile. I shook my head as I retrieved my underclothes. _

_ "Frank wants to wait till marriage." I said flatly._

_ "Prude, that's what the boy is." James muttered. I hit him with my jeans and he winced._

_ *End of the flashback*_

I smiled to myself as I remembered the scene. James was probably the only cousin or relative on the earth who actually thought that their cousin or relative should even be looked at by guys until their thirties. That was one of the things I loved about him, he wasn't really the jealous type, well, at least once he's with someone.

-A+R+S-

I walked down the empty corridor, heading towards lunch, my stomach rumbling. Suddenly, I stumbled, falling onto the hard stone floor and bumping my head. My bag spilled open, books flying across the floor.

"Need help?" said a voice that I knew too well from above me. I looked up into the smirking face of Philippe Nott, who had extended an untrustworthy hand to lift me off the ground.

"Not from you. I thought you were going to stop acting like some psycho stalker and leave me alone." I scowled at him, gathering my books from around me and putting them back into my bag.

"Ah, alas, you thought I was going to leave forever? No, only over the summer. Nothing could entice me to leave you forever." his slimy voice said cunningly, running a hand over my bare shoulder from where the strap of my top had fallen. I shivered at the touch, then pulled my strap back to its normal position.

"Leave me alone Nott." I said steely, picking up my bag and standing up, avoiding his malicious black eyes at all costs. Just as I was dusting myself off, Frank turned the corner and caught sight of me.

"Hey, I was looking for you!" he said, running over. He spotted Nott and looked wary. He looked back at my bedraggled appearance. "Did you slip?"

"Yeah. But it's fine." I said to Frank, internally begging him to leave the subject alone. Then he spoke to Nott.

"Why are you here Nott?"

"Helping your clumsy girlfriend get her stuff back together." Nott sneered, and I angered. With a half glance at me and a cunning sparkle in his black eyes, he added, "Be careful, Longbottom. She might just _slip_—" here he grinned maliciously. "out of your grasp sometime soon." With that he turned away and walked confidently back the way he had come to the Great Hall for lunch.

"You okay?" Frank asked me anxiously as we made our way into the Great Hall.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's fine." I said distantly.

"Be careful then. Wouldn't want to have another run in with that guy. He gives me the creeps, something about him just isn't right." Frank said seriously, and I nodded, kissing him quickly and heading over to the Gryffindor table as he headed over to the Hufflepuff one.

I sighed and sat down at my table, feeling as if I was lying to him. The truth was not much easier to take in though, just the fact that Nott was following me around gave me the creeps. I felt his gaze burning into me from the Slytherin table, and I cringed. I wasn't scared of the boy just because he was a year older than me, much bigger, and with considerable muscles, I was scared of his mental capacity. Nott was the type of person who was evil, but not in the evil henchman sort of way. That was the thing that scared me, Nott could formulate a plan, he could understand things as well as I could, and he knew just how to scare me.

If someone barreling towards you with a wand in hand scares you, it is nothing compared to the fear you feel if you know that there is something lurking in the shadows, someone out to get you. The fear paralyzes you, the fear of knowing that someone is always watching you and you cannot do a thing about it. Every night before I go to bed, I feel as if I will never wake up tomorrow, that someone will kill me in my sleep or something. No, I'm being stupid. But then again, his words sounded in my head. _Nothing could entice me to leave you forever..._


	3. Prophecies, Notes, and Nightmares

**Author's Note: Hi people! So, I know you are all probably yelling at me internally for not posting 2 times a week, only now. I know, I know, I was slacking off. But I was busy texting—fastly. Don't worry, you're not supposed to get that joke. ANYYWAAYY, I really hope you enjoy this chapter, because I really had no idea what I was going to put it in, even when I was writing it. But I hope you like it! ENJOY! (that was an order)**

**P.S. Gracie is **underlined **and Rose is **_italics._

**Chapter 3: Prophecies, Notes, and Nightmares**

I stared at the teacher uncomprehendingly, not able to hear what he was saying when I was so preoccupied. How did Professor Binns manage to make every single student fall asleep at the exact same time? Well, almost every student. While Scorpius slumbered peacefully on one side of me, his hand propping up his chin in a way that would be a completely convincing picture of concentration if he did not have his eyes closed, and Albus slumped clumsily on his desk, his cheek pressed the wood, I was dead awake. Not that I wanted to be in an embarrassing position like that of Al, but _still._ I used to catch up on sleep in History of Magic, just like my classmates, but lately I had been so fearful of sleep and what kind of images it would bring that I had held off on it in class. It was nothing like the dorm—I couldn't place a silencing charm around my desk like I did with my bed—and I wasn't fond of the idea of interrupting the class with an ear-splitting shriek like the ones I had woken myself up with for the last few weeks. The horrible part was that I couldn't remember for a second what I had been dreaming about. I could only feel the icy night gripping me in each dream, and, lately, the sense that someone was watching me. The weirdest thing was that, in every dream, the feelings running through me were all positive. Happiness, victory, confidence, fearlessness... But at the end, cold fear would always wash through me, and I would wake up screaming.

_Why?_ I thought desperately. Buzzing from my bag interrupted my train of thought, and I looked down in surprise. Weren't all my friends asleep? I took out my notebook, flipping it open to the page. Gracie's bubbly handwriting appeared gradually on the page. I should have known. Gracie was the one that always took notes, and thank Merlin for that.

Is this a new thing for you, staying awake in class?

_Nah, I just don't feel like having drool all over my shirt again. And I don't really feel like having **someone** point it out either._

Hey, I was just trying to be helpful! You dried it a second after, and everyone noticed it anyway, even if they didn't say anything.

_Thank you. That is ever so comforting._

I speak the truth. For instance: I can tell you and Frank haven't been seeing that much of each other recently. Anything up with that?

_That's not speaking the truth. That's asking for the truth._

Well, you still haven't given it to me.

_No, there's nothing up. We've just both been busy. Frank says he'll take me out the next Hogsmeade weekend anyway._

Oh... I thought it was something else.

_What?_

Nothing, nothing...

_There's no getting it out of you, is there?_

Nope.

_Fine, whatever. So, I have a question to ask **you.**_

Oh boy.

_It's about Al._

Oh boy double.

_Is he the only boy you've ever kissed?_

Do I really have to answer this?

_Just answer the question Gracie._

Okay, yeah he is.

_That's kind of ironic._

Why?

_Because he's the guy that you're saying 'it could never happen' to. hehehe._

Oh shut up. We were both drunk. It still couldn't happen.

_Whatever you say dear Gracie!_

I hate you.

_Keep telling yourself that._

-A+R+S-

As I walked out of Binn's class, Scorpius and Al caught up to me and began to walk on either side of me. They both seemed cheerful, Albus' hair ruffled to an extreme and Scorpius' chin slightly red from sleeping on desks.

"So, Rosie, did you take notes for us?" Al asked. I snorted.

"Like I ever take notes." I said, scowling at my cousin.

"Like you ever stay awake." Albus shot back, grinning. I didn't have a comeback for that. Scorpius and Al were both smirking at me triumphantly, so I held up my hands in surrender.

"Fine, you got me there. But I didn't take notes. Ask Gracie for hers." I said, referring to our studious friend. Al smiled, putting his hand up and ruffling his hair even more, making him resemble his brother's namesake.

"Think I will." he said, and called after his friend. "Hey, Gracie!" She turned her head questioningly and he ran after her to catch up, falling into step with the girl. Scorpius and I walked in silence until I broke it.

"So, what class do we have next?" I asked.

"Divination. You'd think the old bat would have retired by now. When she does, I'm convinced the subject will be over at Hogwarts." Scorpius joked, making his way up countless staircases with me following him. He looked over at me. "So, why didn't you sleep in History of Magic? You always do."

"I was passing notes with Gracie."

"You told _her_ that you didn't want drool on your shirt."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm Scorpius Malfoy. I know everything."

"No, seriously," I said, looking up to him as I caught my breath on the step below his. He looked down at me as he reached the top of the stairwell.

"The latest note comes up on everyone's notebook. You know that." he said.

"But you were asleep the whole class." I said confusedly.

"Not the _whole_ class."

"Oh, well, I _didn't_ want drool on my shirt."

"Rose." He stopped bounding up the stairs and gave me a look that plainly said "do-you-really-think-you-can-get-away-with-lying-to-me". I gazed at him in a ways that I hoped was innocent. He shook his head and kept climbing. I raced after him.

"Fine. I've been having nightmares. Happy?" I said, finally reaching the landing on the top of the tower, where the Divination class was situated. Scorpius paused in front of the trapdoor, and his brow wrinkled slightly. Then he nodded stiffly and climbed the latter. I knew this wouldn't be the last time I heard about this though, but now I was heading into a dimly lit classroom full of tea leaves and steamy perfume. With a old bat who thought Albus' name was Harry Potter and asks him frequently when he got eye surgery.

I climbed the ladder after Scorpius to find that the class had already begun, but Professor Trelawney had her eyes closed and was reciting what sounded like a death prediction so she didn't notice us come in. I discreetly sat down in the open seat next to Lina and took out my textbook, ignoring the questioning looks my friends were sending me. Fortunately, all of my friends had made the mistake of taking this rotten subject, so I would have some company. Trelawney had just opened her eyes dramatically to see that everything was as it should be, as Scorpius had just fallen into his chair just in time. Her large eyes searched the room, and began to walk over to the table that Al and Scorpius occupied. Albus sighed in a resigned way, immediately expecting the worst. But it was Scorpius, and not Albus, who Professor Trelawney turned to.

"I can see in your future that sometime in the next year your greatest wish will come to be!" Professor Trelawney stated in an eerie, creepy voice that made me even more certain that she was touched in the head. Scorpius nodded in a bored way, then when the seer had turned her back, crossed his eyes, puffed out his cheeks, and put his hands to his head as though it might explode. I burst out into giggles, drawing the whole class' attention, along with Trelawney's owl-eyed stare. I didn't care, though, so I kept giggling.

At the end of the class, Professor Trelawney stopped me as I was leaving the class. She waited until all the other students had filed out and then whispered urgently into my left ear.

"On May 29th of this year, all of your dreams will come true. Remember this." She said. Her stinky breath hit my ear, and I suppressed the urge to flinch away from her. She drew away, still staring at me. I nodded hurriedly and walked toward the trapdoor, trying hard to not break into a run. Once I was down the ladder, I broke into a sprint, hoping that the old hag wasn't fit enough to follow me. Once I had put enough distance between her and myself, I stopped and put my hands on my knees, bending over and panting. I began to laugh hysterically, straightening up and clutching my belly in hysterics. When I was done laughing, I looked around. Divination was the last class of the day, so people would have just started dinner by now, since I was late. I started towards the Great Hall when I heard the sound of voices. I looked around the corner to see Lily prodding Lorcan in the chest with her finger angrily, saying something to him. Lorcan lifted his hands up to her, walking away backwards while yelling something to her disdainfully. I turned the corner behind Lily.

"—and you should just—oh hey Rose!" Lorcan said, stopping mid-sentence as he saw me come up behind them. As I drew closer, I noticed that he looked slightly uncomfortable, while Lily was fuming. I looked between them, smiling.

"Did you two finally hook up or something?" I said, smirking at Lily's angry expression. LIly opened her mouth in indignation while Lorcan burst out laughing. His booming laugh echoed through the Entrance Hall as Lily swore at me and I ran. Lorcan was well aware of the certainty of all of the new generation of Potter/Weasley/Malfoy clan that they would eventually get together. He had come to enough dinners at The Burrow to know that much, even though he argued with Lily Luna for most of that time. Secretly I thought that Lily enjoyed arguing with him, and him with her, because it seemed that they did so too often for it to be completely coincidental. I shook my head and laughed as their voices resumed their feud, then spotted a seat at the Gryffindor table and sat down with my friends. Well, whatever the case was, I would hold it over her head at her wedding.


	4. Getting The Advantage

**Author's Note: So, hi people of the world! I know this chapter might be a little confusing due to the fact that it is not written in Rose's perspective. I want to switch it up a bit, just because I'm not going to write this fanfiction story in another perspective anyway, so I thought it might be fun to write like this, with her friends, cousins, and relatives. On another note, I changed the Lily Lina actress _again_, but I really think I got it right this time. She's on my site, so check it out! Also, for you Lily/Lorcan shippers out there, although I know there are few, me among them, this is your chapter, so, I really hope you enjoy it! Now without further ado, Getting the Advantage!**

**P.S. Where are you team? I miss your reviews!**

**Chapter 4: Getting the Advantage**

Lily P.O.V.

I rubbed my eyes sleepily and looked at the clock. 5:12. What in the world was I doing up this early? Then I remembered what today was. I squealed and leaped out of bed. I tiptoed into the bathroom, mindful not to wake my roommates. This morning, I wouldn't even have to wake Lilac. Even though she was the best friend a girl could ever ask for, she wasn't the type to play Quidditch. She loved to watch it, of course, but she had always had two left feet. I stifled a giggle as I remembered the scene last year in which she had tripped over her own feet and in the process tripped Lorcan Scamander. Then I sobered up, wishing I hadn't thought of that. I knew that my best friend had always been touchy about that, mainly because at the time she had had a crush on the boy in question. I still fail to recognize how _any_ girl could like him.

But that was okay, because, even as best friends, Lilac Thomas and I were allowed to doubt each other. Li often asked me why I was friends with Michelle MacMillan, Dorothy Sanders, and Rebecca Edgecombe. Every time I would tell her that it was because, simply, some friends are supposed to be for gossip, and some, like her, are supposed to be for actual friendship. That _was_ one of the rules. But today, since there was three empty slots on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, I would be trying out. Which meant that I had to get up extra early, since practice was at 5:45 A.M..

I dried my hair magically and pulled on my Quidditch robes that I had inherited from my mum. They fit me more snuggly than they had fit her, so I felt somewhat self-conscious, but it was okay. At least I wouldn't be one of the people that had to wear the moth-eaten extra robes for the tryouts. It was actually quite ridiculous that they required the people trying out for a house team to wear their Quidditch robes. I shook my head, grabbing my broom and descending the girls staircase.

I spotted Lina and Rose before the portrait hole closed behind them, so I hurried after them. When I finally reached the spot where they were walking, I fell into stride with them. "Hey guys!" I exclaimed. Lina looked around as if she had just had a heart attack to take me in. Rose laughed, knowing my tendencies to make a dramatic entrance too well. "Where's Scorpius and Al?" I asked cheerfully.

"Already down at the pitch. Scorpius is setting up and Albus said that he would help him. He doesn't say it, but I think Scorpius is nervous to direct the tryouts." Rose said, letting her friend recover from a heart attack. She looked at me closely. "What position are you trying out for?" I smirked, ready to reply with a joke, but Rose gave me a glare and I decided not to.

"Beater." I said. Lina looked me over doubtfully.

"You sure you have the build for Beater? I would suggest Seeker, but of course I don't want you to jeopardize Rose's spot on the team. Not that you would, but..." Joline said with a smirk. I scowled at her. Rose came to my defense.

"Don't underestimate Lily, Lina. She's a lot fiercer than she looks. I remember when I was seven, I said the same thing that you did. She put me in coma for a week." Rose shivered at the memory. I smirked at Joline, who looked scared. She should be.

"And I was only six at that time, who knows what I can do now?" I said, smiling sweetly at Lina.

"You won't get on the team if you kill me." she said immediately, and I shrugged, smiling. Rose looked between us, a funny smile on her face, and she shook her head as we made our way out on the pitch.

"Oh, look, there they are!" Rose exclaimed, pointing across the Quidditch pitch at the two boys. Wait, no, there weren't _two _boys, there were _three_. As I got closer, I recognized who the blonde boy next to Scorpius and Albus was. My eyes widened in anger. What was he doing, trying to score extra points before the tryouts even took place? I thought about that as I walked up to them with Lina and Rose. Yes, that sounded like Lorcan Scamander.

We approached them and stopped as they turned to face us. Lorcan registered that I was there, and then smirked at me. Slowly, deliberately, making sure that I could see him do it, his eyes lowered to my chest. My blood boiled as his eyes snapped back to my face to see my reaction, then smirked at me again. Rose looked at me sideways, and I felt concern pulsing from her. I chose to say nothing, though, and just glared at him.

"Hey," Lina said awkwardly to Al.

"Hi." Albus replied. "Do you guys want to help us get the jerseys out?" he asked lamely. I smirked at my brother's bad attempt to break the tension.

"Albus," I said in a patronizing voice, pointing to a heap of cloth next to the box with the balls in it. "the jerseys are already are out." My brother glared at me for pointing out his mistake, and my face went innocent in a second. Scorpius laughed.

"Okay team, lets go." he said amusedly. Rose objected immediately.

"Hey, they're not part of the team yet!" she huffed, following behind him as he grabbed the box and grabbing some jerseys herself. Scorpius turned back and smirked at her.

"Yes, but due to the condition of the people who tried out last year, I'm betting they will be." Lorcan looked at me calculatingly.

"What position are you trying out for, Red?" Lorcan asked, ruffling his hair up as he used the annoying nickname he had come up with me on the first day of first year. I scowled at him.

"Beater." I said shortly. Lorcan looked a little surprised.

"Beater, you?"

"Well, what position do _you_ suggest?" I huffed, glaring at him.

"Does it have to be in Quidditch, because I have a great suggestion of one outside it." Lorcan said, winking suggestively. Albus scowled at the imagery, and Scorpius laughed again. I seethed inside. Leaning over, I whispered in Lorcan's ear.

"When we get up in the air, I'm going to murder you, you know that right?" I said softly, and he pulled away and laughed. Rose, hearing this exchange, smiled at me mischievously. Lorcan caught up with Lina, Scorpius, and Albus, and I hung back with Rose.

"You really are going to kill him, aren't you?" Rose said resignedly. I considered for a moment.

"I don't know about that. I think I'll just maim him. I don't know about murder." I said contemplatively, pretending to think about it. Rose opened her mouth to say something, but I gave her a vicious look and said: "If you say what you were just thinking about saying, I'll leave Scamander for another opportunity and maim _you."_ I knew what she was about to say. She was just about to say how Lorcan and I would be so _perfect_ for each other. So far over the years she had said that about fifty times, and I was sick of it. It wasn't only her, either. Grr...

When we reached where the boys had stopped, we saw the small crowd of second and third years clustered in front of them. I heard Rosie let out a barely audible sigh at the nervous students. Only a few would be able to fly once around the pitch, I knew. Still, Scorpius directed the tryout like usual, and formed groups to fly around the pitch. Since we were the oldest, Lina, Rosie, Lorcan, and I were all in the same group along with Scorpius, who said it was more practical for him to be part of it than just watching. I tried not to bicker with Lorcan, who seemed to be trying to rile me up, and decided to ignore him. Elimination began from then on, for it was very easy to tell which of the students were able to fly at all. Immediately off the list were Sarah Cyrton, Annie Nether, and George Whitters, three second years. Others were taken off after that, for not being able to do exercises, laps, games, etcetera.

True to my word, when the tryouts for the Beaters came about, I used Lorcan as my target. I don't think he really took me seriously until I sent a fast bludger at his shoulder. He dodged just in time so it only hit him slightly, but he scowled at me in displeasure. I smirked at him as he sent a bludger my way, and hit it right back. He ducked just in time, and for a fleeting moment I thought he looked impressed, but it was gone, and he hit a bludger at one of the other people trying out.

Soon all we were left with was Amabelle Spears, a third year, and a small second year, Madeline Williams. Both Amabelle and Madeline were going for Keeper. It was quite amusing watching them stand next to each other. They were complete opposites in looks, at least. Amabelle was tall, tan, and had dirty blonde straight hair and dark, almost black, eyes. Madeline was pale, slenderly built, on the shorter side, and had light, fawn colored, brown curly hair that reached just past her shoulders. Here eyes were a clear, sea green-blue color, and her button mouth was as perfect as a doll's, and a dark shade of pink. She was, contrary to her looks, a fierce flier, although she was rather shy and nervous. When it was Amabelle's turn to keep, she saved four out of five of the shots aimed at her. Much to the surprise of all, when Madeline's turn came, she saved five out of five of the shots. It goes without saying, therefore, that the team welcomed the little girl into their group.

After all this excitement, though, I hesitated. "Wait." I said to Rose as we walked back to the castle alone at eight thirty. "Who's the other Beater if Josh Thomas was turned away?" I said, referring to another of the people trying out. Rose stared at me to see if I was kidding, and then laughed.

"Are you really that daft, Lily?" Rose laughed. I scowled at my cousin, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Well, are you going to tell me or not?"

"Every heard of a guy called Lorcan Scamander?" It took a few seconds for her words to sink into my brain.

"No. No, you have to be kidding. I will _not_ work together with that—that _boy!_" I said, distraught. Rose put a hand on my shoulder to calm me.

"Calm down, Lils. You work together well, and on the Quidditch pitch, you don't have to talk, you just have to move. Besides," she said, a twinkle in her eye. "Being a Beater is all about channeling your anger through the bat. He can get you pretty riled up, you have to admit, Lily." I opened my mouth to object, but then closed it again. Rose smirked. "Okay, see you. You should probably get to your classes." She walked away, leaving me frozen in the corridor.

-A+R+S-

Lorcan P.O.V

Rose and Lily headed back to the castle, their backs turned away from me as they talked animatedly. I turned, smirking, to leave the pitch with Scorpius. I had volunteered to help him put away the supplies, and so I picked up the crate with the balls in it(no pun intended) and headed after my Captain into the locker rooms. "So, how're you going try to whip us up into shape, Captain?" I asked carelessly, setting my burden down and taking my jersey off to toss into a locker. Scorpius smirked back at me and sat down on the bench, taking a swig of water.

"Let me answer that question with a question. How're you going to try to irk your partner into either quitting the team or committing suicide?" Scorpius said. I laughed.

"I think that might be going a little too far. She's a good Beater, I'll give her that. I wouldn't try to get her to quit the team, and as for committing suicide, well, I wouldn't have anyone to annoy then, would I?"

"True, very true."

"Yeah, well, I don't know what it is about Lily, though. She always seems to be more bothered by what I do than most people are. I mean, really, she's a little oversensitive." I said, narrowing my eyes, and thinking more, then continuing after a pause. "She always seems to know more than she should, too. I mean," I laughed at a memory. "in third year, when I was late for this silly study session with her for an Ancient Runes project—we were partners—I told her why I was late, because I was out with a girl at the time. She told me that the girl was a tart who had been snogging another guy the night before at midnight. When I asked her how she knew this, she told me that she knows everything and if I need proof I should go to The Room of Requirement at midnight on the following saturday, think '_I want a place to be alone with someone'_ and I would find them. I did as she said and found them there, in rather compromising positions." I laughed again, shaking my head at the memory. Scorpius looked rather uncomfortable, but laughed too.

As I was going back through the corridors, I saw Lily, walking just in front of me slowly. Smiling to myself, I approached her silently. When I was close enough, I leaned over and whispered into her ear:

"Thinking, Potter?" she started in surprise, turned, and glared at me.

"What do you want, Scamander?" she scowled.

"Aww, that hurts, Red." I said, smiling at her and pressing my right hand to my heart. "Just wondering when you want to start _practicing_ our skills alone. You still haven't showed me what you can really do." I winked at her.

"Somehow I don't think we're talking about Quidditch anymore." Lily says dryly. I smirked at her.

"Yeah, whatever Potter. See you next Quidditch practice." I sped past her, still smirking at my victory. To tell the truth, I wouldn't say no to getting some of that, either. But enough of that. This was going to be one hell of a year.


	5. Fancy

**Author's Note: Okay, people, so I know this is very short considering what I usually do, but I'm sorry. I have a lot to do currently, so I hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 5: Fancy**

I fingered the clasp of the pin was fixed in my hair. It felt weird, dressing up for a date when I never did normally. Fake. I was dressed in a pale yellow top with a tiny pocket(placed conveniently right on my boob, sarcasm intended), and a light gray skirt with tie borrowed from Gracie. It looked good on her, but on me it looked a little boarding school. Not that that was a completely wrong assumption. I frowned.

"Someone's feeling cheerful today!" Gracie exclaimed, leaping down from the window seat where she had been perched a moment earlier. I sighed and got up from my bed and walked over to the mirror. The girl looking back at me was almost unrecognizable to my eyes. Her wavy hair was pulled into a long, loose, braid that fell over her left shoulder and was clasped with a small butterfly pin. The face was clear and perfect, with concealer and only some mascara. The girl standing in the reflection was dressed in a weak sunlight colored top and a skirt that started at her high waist and ended just above the knee. I fingered the ends of a string hanging off the skirt's hem.

"It's not... well, it's not _me."_ I spun around to face my friend, both my hands on my hips. "I don't know why I have to do this. It's just one date, y'know. Just... normal. Me and Frank." Gracie looked at me for a second, then came over and plopped down on the bed in front of me, putting her hands on her knees and regarding me with a mother-like look on her face.

"Rosie, dear, you sound like you're trying to convince yourself more than me. I _know_ that you and Frank have done this before, but you also know that you were the one primarily who insisted on this." I shrugged my shoulders and lowered my eyes to the ground. When I lifted them, Gracie was still looking at me with her searching gaze. "Is there anything _wrong_ with you and Frank?" my friend pressed. I opened my mouth to say no, then closed it again and sighed.

"I don't know, Gracie, I just don't know. We're fine, we're not having any rows or anything, but I'm still not happy. I just... I just wish..." I looked sideways at Gracie, calculating whether to tell her or not. "Okay, what I'm about to tell you you can't tell anyone—even Abby, okay?" I asked.

"I promise." Gracie said breathlessly, looking serious but also slightly excited. I leaned forward towards her.

"Before me and Frank started dating, I didn't fancy him." I told her. Grace pulled back, looking confused.

"Wait, you mean—" she started.

"I thought he was cute, but I never liked him as more than a friend." Gracie sat back and sighed.

"So you're worried that you still only think of him like a friend?"

"Yes, I mean, no, I mean... I don't know. I mean, he's cute and a damn good kisser," I smirked as she frowned. "but we're not at all alike, we're just... I mean, there's chemistry, but I don't know if that's enough." Gracie considered this for a while, then spoke.

"Have you considered breaking up with him?" I started, and shook my head vigorously.

"Nah, I won't. I'm not unhappy... so, y'know." Gracie looked at me doubtfully, but nodded.

"You should probably go to your date, then. Knock 'em dead." she patted me on the back and gestured me forward. I nodded and walked out of the dormitory.

-A+R+S-

"So, are they doing another costume ball this year?" I asked Frank pleasantly as we walked through the crowded town.

"Yep. What are you thinking of dressing up as?" I considered for a second.

"Who knows? Maybe I'll go with related costumes as my dorm mates again." I said, the wrinkled my nose and corrected. "I mean, _some _of my dorm mates." Frank laughed at that comment and put his arm around my shoulders. I didn't stiffen.

"Just think," he said. "In about half a week, we'll have been dating for a year!" I laughed at his enthusiasm as we entered The Three Broomsticks. I let myself remember for a moment.

_*Flashback*_

_"This is so fun!" I said to Frank, catching my breath as we made our way off the crowded dance floor. He nodded, his cheeks flushed. I looked at him for a long while, then looked down at my feet._

_"Rose," I looked up as he spoke. His eyes were gentle. "I know this might be too soon for you, since this is the first time we've actually went somewhere together." He hesitated, embarrassed, then continued on in a rush. "Wouldyouliketogooutwithme?"_

_"Sorry?" I laughed, and he blushed._

_"Would you like you go out with me?" I stared at him, startled for a moment, then what happened seemed to hit me. Then I kissed him full on the mouth, happiness rushing through me and washing away all my doubts about going with him._

_-A+R+S-_

_"You'll never catch me!" I giggled, running at high speed down the hall._

_"Don't make promises you can't keep!" Frank puffed behind me. I stopped finally for breath next to an old broom cupboard, leaning against the hard stone of the wall as Frank caught up to me. He kissed me passionately, his lips and mine fitting together as easily as two pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. When he let me up for breath, I laughed, still winded from our race. This was the best moment of our young lives, I thought, standing here sharing kisses, not a care in the world._

_-A+R+S-_

_"I have to go Rosie, sorry, I have a patrol." Frank said as he broke the kiss._

_"That's okay. Have fun." I said lightly, kissing him on the cheek. He rolled his eyes as if to say 'As if', waved a hand in farewell, and walked away. I shook my head as he broke into a sprint, showing off his boyish innocence that hid beneath the seriousness. I turned, ready to go back up to Gryffindor tower to my friends who were probably making up some story about how me and Frank were having a love affair in a distant broom closet, when I heard another voice behind me._

_*End of Flashback*_

I sighed in happiness. Then another voice fluttered into my flashbacks from the last memory. _"Your fun with lover boy over already? I thought you would stand there forever." _I shivered as I looked around. Sure enough, I saw a group of Slytherins in the corner seat. Philippe Nott was seated in the center of them, and his unpleasant gaze was fixed on me like a hawk's would on its prey.


	6. Swims Again

**Author's Note: Okay, people, I know, I know, it's a week late. But you won't be disappointed in the least. For one, it's mega-long, 12 pages, and more than FOUR THOUSAND words! My longest chapter ever, also my best so far, I venture to believe. A lot of stuff happens in this chapter, and I really hope it's not confusing or anything. The lyrics in this chapter are not mine, they're from the song So Emotional by Whitney Houston, rest in peace. I didn't know much about her in her life, but I've listened to a lot of her songs and I love them. I hope you like it as much as I do. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 6: (Sea Princess Ariel) Swims Again**

I lay on my four-poster bed, my stomach to the sky, my arms and legs sprawled out in the way that a rag-doll's stuffed limbs would. "I just don't know what we could do," I flipped over onto my stomach and slowly got to my feet and began to pace. "We've already agreed that we want to dress as a group again. But what could we do to counter last year's success?" Gracie sat up on her bed with her legs crossed intricately, Abby lying with her stomach pressed to the carpet at the foot of her own bed, and Lina leaning against the window sill, looking out onto the misty grounds.

"How about we dress up as feelings?" Abby suggested tiredly. Lina snorted, looking back towards us.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. I would dress up as a big fat teardrop for sadness." Abby huffed, and I stifled my laughter.

"Well, that might not be the best idea anyway. Imagine if I told Al and Scorp that I was dressed up as jealousy. They would get a good laugh out of that." I snorted at the picture of my friends' reactions as I said it.

"I don't get why we have to top last year's," Abby complained to the room at large, bitter from her bad idea. Gracie jumped down from her own four-poster to join me. I turned to her.

"Gracie, you must have _some _ideas. It was you who came up with last year's, after all." I said helplessly. Gracie started talking, then stopped herself in doubt. Then she started again.

"We could be... fairies?" she suggested tentatively. Abby snorted, but Lina smiled mischievously.

"How about pixies? Rose would fit into that category." Lina giggled, her eyes shining. I threw a pillow from my bed at her, but didn't protest this time.

"It might be our best bet." I say, shrugging.

"But _all _the girls go as pixies and fairies." Abby complained. "And we did that second year, remember?' she added.

"Do you have a better suggestion?" I asked pointedly. Abby thought for a moment, then, with her eyes as bright as two small suns, she looked up at us. Snapping her fingers, she said the best idea ever:

"We'll go as Disney Characters!" It took a moment for this to sink in, and I leaped up from where I had seated myself.

"Yes! That's such a good idea!" Lina and I said at the same time. Gracie's eyes were sparkling with delight.

"I call Ariel!" she exclaims.

"Rubbish, you were a mermaid last year!" Abby says, but her eyes are sparkling in delight. "No one gets Ariel." Gracie shrugged, smiling.

"Fine, then I'll be Snow White... or should I be Mulan?" Gracie said, frowning slightly. I thought for a minute.

"As much as this pains me to say this... you should be Snow White. I love Mulan, though." I brightened as an idea came to me. "Hey, maybe _I _ could be Mulan!" I exclaimed in delight.

"Oh, hell no." Lina was the one who spoke at this moment. I turned to her, hurt. She sighed at my face. "Look, Rosie, I know that Mulan's your favorite character, but you can't be her. You're not... well, you're not asian as far as I know." I turned to Abby, hoping she might be Mulan instead.

"Sorry, Rose, but no. I'm being Jasmine from Aladdin." Abby said, shrugging. I sighed.

"Hey, chin up Weasley! You're going to be Bell, and don't even bother to say you don't want to, because I know you do." I laughed and clasped my hands together in excitement.

"Wait, who are _you _going to be?" I asked my best friend, staring at her. She giggled.

"Who am _I _going to be? Well, of course, I'll be Sleeping Beauty, Rosie!" She smiled radiantly at the thought. I squealed in delight and started jumping up and down excitedly.

"This is going to be so fun!" Gracie smiled, then her face fell.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Well... I know this is silly, but we don't have a Cinderella.." she said, looking down at her feet. I smirked, an idea forming in my head.

"We very soon will.."

-A+R+S-

Target: Dominique Fleur Weasley

"Hey, Dom!" I called down the Great Hall to my cousin, who was currently talking to her best friend Tina. They both turned as they heard my call.

"Yes?" Dominique answered as I approached them.

"What are you going as for the Halloween dance this year?" I asked, running up to them out of breath. Dom shrugged.

"Donno. What about you?"

"Me and my friends are going as a group again, but this time we need a few more people."

"Say no more. We'll go with you, of course." Tina said instantly. I smiled at her. Tina wasn't Dominique's friend at first. In first year, my cousin hadn't had any friends, but in second year Tina and Dom had become fast friends, and she came over to the Burrow often. All the family was grateful for her.

"So, what are you guys going as?" Dom wanted to know. I smiled.

"Drumroll please... Disney characters!" I exclaimed. "I'm Belle from Beauty and The Beast, Lina is Briar Rose from Sleeping Beauty, Abby is Jasmine from Aladdin, and Gracie's Snow White from, well, Snow White." Tina looked extremely excited.

"That sounds so fun! We can do it, can't we, Dom? Oh, god, I _have _to be Mulan!" I beamed at her enthusiasm, and turned to my cousin, who looked slightly doubtful. I decided to bribe her more.

"And, well... we don't have a Cinderella yet, which is sad if we never do..." I trailed off suggestively, and Dominique grinned slightly.

"You're queer, Rose Jean Weasley." she laughed. "Yes, we'll do it. And I'll be Cinderella." I squealed in delight and hugged her, running off to tell my friends the good news. I never noticed anyone watching in the background, never saw the sad eyes rest upon me as Scorpius Malfoy watched me leave. He yanked his eyes away seconds later, though, and didn't let it affect him. But it did. A year ago, I would have laughed at any girl who squealed like that.

-A+R+S-

Target: Lily Luna Potter

"Oh, come on Lily. It'll be fun." I tried again, walking after my cousin.

"No way. There is absolutely no way that I will go to the Halloween ball dressed up as a Disney princess. Absolutely no way." Lily Luna said, speeding up.

"Oh, come on. You know you love Disney." I said. She didn't respond. "And you can be Ariel!" I exclaimed, hopeful this would work. A snort came from in front of me.

"That might have worked on Dominique, but it won't work on me." Came the voice again. I sighed.

"Just think about it. You can invite Lilac to join, and Roxanne is already agreed, too. She's Pocahontas." I turned away at that, finding that if I said something more I would probably be "accidentally" hit by a bludger in Quidditch practice. I probably would be anyway. Oh, whatever.

-A+R+S-

Target: Lilac Thomas

"Hey, Lilac?" I asked tentatively.

"Yep?"

"What are you going to the Halloween dance as?" Lilac smirked.

"I don't know, but I heard something from Lily about 'stupid cousins', 'disney', and 'towheaded prick'. Was that about you?" I smiled fondly.

"I'm guessing that the first two are, but I'm pretty sure I know what the last one is about, too." Lilac laughed.

"I'll see what I can do, Rose. Don't worry. I think that the reason she doesn't want to go with your friends and cousins is because of the, quote, 'towheaded prick'." she lowered her voice before saying. "He's confusing her at the moment. You know," she gestured to her head, "his _feelings_ are confusing her." I frowned, understanding. Poor Lily. I also suppressed a smirk. His feelings are confusing her. Hehe.

"Thanks." was all I said before I walked away.

-A+R+S-

"So, what level of success do we have so far?" Abby asked conversationally. I shrugged, getting a tighter hold on my books as we walked to class together.

"Pretty good, but Lily still refuses point blank."

"That's a shame. She's the perfect Ariel."

"Who's the perfect Ariel? I thought we weren't doing Ariel." Gracie entered the conversation, her eyebrows raised. I groaned. Abby answered.

"Lily Luna Potter. Still refuses, though."

"Hmph.. Well, she _is _the perfect Ariel, I'll admit."

"Please take your seats, class!"

-A+R+S-

**So, what are you up to Rosie?**

_I don't know what you're talking about._

**Oh, haha. You're going around with your friends like you're on some kind of secret service mission and interrogating your girl cousins, too.**

Hey, she's not interrogating me!

**Last time I checked, you aren't a girl, Albus.**

Oh, yeah.

_Oh, it's just the old Halloween costume affair._

**You're having an affair with the Halloween costumes, Rosie?**

_Shut up Scorp you know what I mean. _

**Yeah, I know, I just wanted to rile you up.**

_I hate you._

**No you don't, you love me.**

_If that's what helps you sleep at night._

**You wish.**

Lovers quarrel.

_I'm not even going to dignify that with a response, instead, I'll change the subject. By the way, Scorpius, are you taking anyone special to the ball this year?_

**Sorry, Rose, but I don't have any romantic feelings for you, so don't bother asking me out.**

_Oh hahaha. Very funny._

No, he's not bringing anyone to the ball this year. I would know.

_And how would you know?_

Because he always cleans up the dorm beforehand if he's expecting a shag.

**Eww dude.**

_Didn't need to know._

I know. I just enjoy making you uncomfortable. For example, I know it makes you uncomfortable to say Scorp's shagging someone, due to the sexual tension that just erupted between you two.

_YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER! That was funny the first time._

**No, it really wasn't. **

_Whatever._

-A+R+S-

I descended the marble staircase, my long yellow silk gloves sliding across the beautiful material my gown was made of. The sleeves of the yellow dress fell a few inches above the top of each glove, instead of up on my shoulders. In any other dress it would look slutty, but I was Belle from Beauty and The Beast. I could look nothing but beautiful today. Next to me, Gracie looked radiant in her blue and yellow dress, smiling nervously. Abby was walking next to her best friend, smiling as all the boys' eyes of the castle trained for a second longer than necessary on her, even the portraits. I shuddered as an old geezer took out a pair of binoculars. Lina spotted him, too, and rolled her eyes. Next to me in my ball gown, she looked simple, as she had insisted that "pink is just not my color" and decided to go with Briar Rose's simple clothes, which were striking in themselves. We had all agreed to meet our dates in the Great Hall and our fellow Disney-ers down in the Entrance Hall, just for the effect.

I rounded the corner with my friends and smiled at the sight. Dominique looked stunning in a silver-blue dress with her blonde hair pinned up in the Cinderella style. Tina stood next to her, donned in a floor-length Mulan dress in her wrap style. I ran down to join them, clutching my long dress just above my ankles.

"Hey guys!" I exclaimed in excitement. Dominique gasped at the sight of me.

"Wow... Rose, you look beautiful..." She said, her eyes wide. I smiled.

"Thanks, but... Dom? Have you looked at yourself lately?"

"Oh, please." Dominique said, "You can't compare this—" gesturing to herself "to this." gesturing to me. I laughed. Dominique's complete oblivity on the height of her beauty was just too funny.

"Sure, Dom. Where's Roxanne?" I questioned, looking away from the blonde and scanning the students in the entrance hall, who were luckily passing us without a second glance at our costumes now. I smiled to myself—still craning my neck to catch a glimpse of my cousin—this group costume thing was really growing on me. Of course, my three dormmates and I always had gone as a group, from first year(flowers) to now. Our list went like this, flowers, fairies, water forms, planets, magical creatures, and, this year, Disney characters. What would we do next year? I shook my head to stop myself from thinking about that now, and just in time, because I had just spotted a beautiful 5th year girl descending the marble staircase, her dark caramel colored skin reflecting in the light of many candles. I ran up and hugged her.

"Roxi!"

"Hey Rose! Wow, you look great!" my cousin exclaimed.

"So you you! What took you?" I exclaimed, looking her over. She smiled mysteriously and gestured behind her. I was confused for a moment, then my mouth gaped open as a gorgeous dark skinned girl in a white and green petaled dress appeared around the corner. And, yes, right behind her, dressed in a sheer, sparkling, silver dress, stood Lily Luna Potter, dressed as the Sea Princess Ariel.

The dress ended at her feet, flowing like water, but was cut so that one leg was exposed from her knee. Her hazel eyes danced as she moved into the light. Her hair was pinned back and her small pointy ears were exposed, so like mine. She smiled tentatively as people floated past her. She moved like a dream. I smiled brilliantly at her as she approached our group.

"You came around." I said triumphantly. She rolled her eyes.

"Is everyone here?" she scanned our group, and, without waiting for an answer, continued. "Okay. Let's make our grand entrance!" I looked around at the nearly empty Entrance hall and nodded, swooshing my gown around excitement. "Rosie—CALM." Lily said, putting both her hands on my shoulders.

"Oh shut up, you. Let's go in already." I shrugged her off, hmphing comically. She rolled her eyes and followed my steps. We came level to one another, and I realized that she was almost as tall as me. She had definitely come a long way from the little girl laughing with Hugo about Houses on my first day. We walked in together, and somehow her hand latched onto my wrist as we walked out. Heads turned in our direction, some going back to their original poise after a second, and some lingering. I certainly didn't like the way Ben Wood's eyes strayed on Lily's body a moment too long.

I walked over to Scorpius and Albus immediately after spotting them several feet away from the doors. I heard Lily groan as the boy talking to them turned his head.

"Of bloody course." she muttered under her breath, nearly growling at the blonde teenager. I took him in. Lorcan Scamander did look quite nice tonight. I approached the three boys. Scorpius spotted me first, and nudged Al, who nudged Lorcan, who turned to look at us and smirked. I sighed.

"Hello, boys." I said, coming to a halt in front my two best friends. I looked their black suits over once. "I see you didn't bother to dress up—again." Scorpius grinned unabashedly, and opened his mouth for a retort, but it was Lorcan who ended up answering before him.

"I did dress up, Rosie. I dressed up as someone awesome." He brushed his hair out of his eyes and smiled at me, and in a way I knew that he was joking. I rolled my eyes anyway.  
"Must have taken a really long time to achieve that." Lily quipped sharply. He turned his gaze to her.

"Aww, don't be like that, Red." Lorcan half smiled, half smirked at Lily. Lily paused, ready to respond with an insult, confused for a moment. I smirked as I remembered Lilac's words. _His feelings are confusing her. _I could sort of tell what was confusing Lil. Usually, faced with a statement like the one Lily Luna had just uttered, Lorcan would respond with one similar to: _Well, you would know. You have to every day._ In truth, it was more pleasant to have them not argue, but it was definitely weird.

"Now I see what your affair was with the costumes." Scorpius said, looking me over. "And can I say that it was stupid of the costumes to pull down your sleeves. Subtlety is the key." It took me a few short moments to get his joke. When I did, I hit him over the head, barely suppressing a grin as I felt my cheeks redden slightly. "Speaking of affairs, your lover boy seems to be waiting for you." Scorpius said carelessly, gesturing over my head. I turned to see Frank watching me carefully. I snorted slightly. Boys and their jealousies, _honestly._ I made my way over to him anyway, however, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Hey." I said.

"Hey," he repeated, weaving his hand through mine. "Do you want to dance?" he asked, the faint traces of a smile twitching onto the edges of his mouth. I smiled as an slow song began to play.

"Do you even have to ask?"

"I guess not then." He pulled me out onto the rapidly filling dance floor. Frank brought me close, securing my hands around his neck and placing his on my waist. Smiling for real this time, he brushed his nose with mine, drawing me even closer, his motions gentle and soft. I laughed our noses brushed again. We were so close now that his lips brushed my forehead, slowly, softly. He leaned down and—the song changed, its beat much faster than the first, and we pulled back. Frank laughed as he spinned me around, dancing faster and faster until the blur of our feet blended into the crowd.

-A+R+S-

I had long finished dancing with Frank, and was over at the snacks table, sneaking the grossest looking food I have ever seen enter the doors of Hogwarts. Scorpius leaned over to me.

"Eating the fake eyeball-grapes?" he said, smiling at my handful of fake Halloween themed grapes. I smiled back sheepishly and held them up.

"They're actually not half bad." I said defensively.

"Let me try." Scorpius challenged, and I grinned and popped one into his mouth. He chewed, swallowed, and wrinkled his nose distastefully.

"That tasted like plastic."

"Well there wasn't dinner this evening. Don't make fun of my eyeballs." I said, shielding them with my body. He laughed.

"Yeah, whatever." The DJ announced the next song as the last few strands of the previous died away, and I squealed in delight.

"I love this song! It's Whitney Houston! Come on, we have to dance!" I started pulling him out on the dance floor, and he dug his heels into the floor.

"Oh, no no no. I can't dance, remember?" I rolled my eyes and he grinned. "And _So Emotional _is a terrible song!"

"No, it's not. And you're dancing with me!" I succeeded in pulling him out as it just started playing. He pouted then started dancing, and I laughed. "Bad dancer my arse." I muttered.

"What was that?" He asked, spinning me around and pulling me close teasingly. I laughed again, but didn't repeat my words.

I've been hearing your heartbeat inside of me

I keep your photograph beside my bed

Livin' in a world of fantasies

I can't get you out of my head

I've been waiting for the phone to ring all night

Why you wanna make me feel so good

I got a love of my own baby

I shouldn't get so hung up on you

Oh I remember the way that we touch

I wish I didn't like it so much

Oh I get so emotional baby

Every time I think of you

I get so emotional baby

Ain't it shocking what love can do

Ain't it shocking what love can do

Ain't it shocking what love can do

I gotta watch you walk in the room baby

I gotta watch you walk out

I like the animal way you move

And when you talk

I just watch your mouth

Oh I remember the way that we touch

I wish I didn't like it so much

Oh I get so emotional baby

Every time I think of you

I get so emotional baby

Ain't it shocking what love can do

I get so emotional baby

Every time I think of you

I get so emotional baby

Ain't it shocking what love can do

Ain't it shocking what love can do

Ain't it shocking what love can do

See I remember the way that we touch

I wish I didn't like it so much

No no no, I get so emotional baby

Every time I think of you

I get so emotional baby

Ain't it shocking what love can do

I get so emotional baby

Every time I think of you

I get so emotional baby

Ain't it shocking what love can do

I get so emotional baby

I get so emotional baby

Ain't it shocking what love can do

I get so emotional baby

Every time I think of you

I get so emotional baby

Ain't it shocking what love can do

I get so emotional baby

Every time I think of you

I get so emotional baby

Ain't it shocking what love can do

-A+R+S-

I brought the glass of punch to my lips, taking a small sip as I looked around the crowded dance floor. I had come without a date that night, but it was more fun like this, able to dance with anyone I pleased. No restraints. Except one. My eyes followed the progress of Lorcan's way across the Great Hall. He was now chatting with a girl, Dorothy Sanders, as I looked closer. I narrowed my amber eyes at him, watching the way he moved his hands to animate the conversation. Why did he have to be so bloody confusing? Don't you think it isn't confusing enough to have all of these feelings running through my head, and I damn well prefered it when he just flat out loathed me as I do him. But no, he decides that this is the right moment to change his thoughts. He has spotted me looking, I see, but I don't turn my gaze away, glaring holes into his head. He just twitched one side of his mouth up into a smirk and turned back to his—very interesting I'm sure—conversation with Sanders. The song changed again, and I twisted my head to look around at the dance floor. Rose had detached herself from Scorpius and was heading out towards me. I ran to meet her, grabbing her hand and going back the way she came.

"Noooo!" she wailed. "I'm tiiiireeed!" I laughed.

"Too bad, Red!" I pushed her lightly. She stopped and laughed, casting a glance over in Lorcan's direction.

"You're more of a red than me, Red!" Rose said, twisting my hair in her fingers. I rolled my eyes and jerked her hand after me and I skipped into the dancefloor. The song was about in the middle, but I didn't care, and I twirled my cousin around, laughing. As _Go the Distance_ from the Disney movie Hercules struck a high note, rain crashed down onto the roofs. Nearly everyone looked above their heads, no one had noticed the rain before now. Rose and I kept dancing, though, not taking any notice of any other around us.

Soon others began to dance again, rather uncertainly, though. The song ended and we still twirled once more. Laughing, I dipped Rose clumsily, and she put lifted her left leg from the ground gracefully.

"Okay, dancers, this is the last song." The DJ spoke from his seat, leaning down to watch us. "For all of your Disney fans and, apparently, disney dressers out there, Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid. I was sure there was an Ariel, where are you girlie?" He looked around the hall, and I squeaked in surprise. I cleared my throat and said:

"Uh, that's me!" He looked my way and smiled.

"Well, then, Ariel, this is for you." He clicked a button and the song started. I looked around for Rose, but she had deserted me. A tap on the shoulder alerted me. A smiling Lorcan Scamander was what I saw when I turned.

"Want to dance, Red?" he asked with a grin. I hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. He grasped my hands, and we began to dance. See, this is what I'm talking about with mixed messages! When the song ended, he gestured me to follow him outside. I agreed readily, the mix of emotions in the room was making me dizzy anyway.

We walked under the overhang in silence for a few moments. Then he spoke. "Awesome party, right?" he sounded a little awkward. We reached a small clearing with a bench and a swing in it.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Listen, Red, we have to talk." He sat down on the bench, ruffling his hair up with his right hand.

"Uh, what about?" I asked, sitting down opposite him on the swing.

"Well, obviously you hate me. But we have to get along. For the sake of the team." Oh, Quidditch.

"We don't _have _to get along." I muttered.

"Well, do you like that we don't?" When I didn't answer, he snorted. "Oh, I see how it is. I'm the one you take your anger out on." He yelled.

"Hey, it's not like that!" I screamed back, standing up as he did.

"Then what is it like?" He yelled the question at me, waiting for an answer. I looked down, not having one. "You must have a lot of anger. Tell me, how does it feel to be youngest sibling of your family?" I looked up at him in disbelief, tears began to form into my eyes. "Is that what makes you so bitter all the time? BEING FORGOTTEN? MAYBE IT'S JUST BECAUSE NO ONE BOTHERS TO CARE ABOUT YOUR SILLY LITTLE PROBLEMS!" He yelled the words at me, tossing the last one over his shoulder as he walked back to castle. A lone tear trickled down my cheek, inviting the flood. I covered my face in my hands, water trickling down my face. No one would be out here now. I didn't want to take the chance, though. I ran out into the pouring rain, my cheeks soon filling with its sadness as well as my own. I sobbed as I fell down beside the lake, hiding my tears from the world. I looked through the cracks between my fingers at the water of the Great Lake. I could just jump in now. If what Lorcan said was true, no one would really notice. As my silver dress clung to me, the mud did too. I wished I had fins like Ariel. I wished I could swim away like her, hide from the treacherous place that is our Earth. She thought she was missing something up here, but all there is is pain. With that thought, I sunk my whole body into the mud, wondering if it would take pity on me and swallow my being before sunlight came again. I pressed my cheek against the cold liquid, feeling the world slip away to sleep. I had no fins, no story, and no desire to go back to the castle.


	7. DJ Got Us Falling In Love Again

**Author's Note: Hey people! Another chapter, probably not as great as I thought the last one was, but I had a really awesome time writing it, so I hope you enjoy. I've got so many emails saying someone has subscribed to Story Alert or Favorited it or something, so thank you all! Also, I know most of you probably have never been on my website, but I'm trying to find a new actor for Hugo, the poll is on my profile, and here is the link: It's between Landon Liboiron, Harry Styles, and Jake T. Austin. I'm slightly on the side of Harry Styles, but I don't know about you guys. Please vote!**

**GeorgiaHarry15: You are actually my first reviewer! I used to have someone called teamKputt review The New Generation, but I haven't seen them since then. Thanks! It depends on what you consider 'soon', and what 'getting together' is, too. The May 'dreams come true' thing is a little different, but it is around that time. Thank you so much! I appreciate it!**

**Angels In The Dark: Thanks! About the Lily/Lorcan plot, I'm going to try to put that a little into the background in the future. I love Lily/Lorcan, and I ship them, but after The New Generation series is done, I'm going to do a Lily/Lorcan, and I don't want their coupling to happen too soon.**

**Chapter 7: DJ Got Us Falling In Love Again**

I swooped through the frigid air, by back turned to the frozen grounds, grasping my broom handle with both my hands as I made sure I didn't fall as I was flying upside down. I flipped over to let my hand up and caress the low hanging clouds. The clouds were messengers, sent to inform the earth of the impending snow of this month. I flew up through them, glad of their dryness in contrast to the ones from the rainy season. I began to shoot through them, forming sharp spirals in their mists. The designs were simple yet calming as I flew higher, higher until the small clouds disappeared into their larger counterparts.

As the air became tighter in my lungs, I reluctantly began to descend to the pitch below. Practice technically starts at 5:45, but since I'm crazier than crazy I decided that it was a brilliant idea to wake at 5:00 and come down early to fly. I've been up here for about half an hour, and my team has not arrived yet. I can hear the faint sounds of the voices of Scorpius and Albus, setting up the crates. The snitch whizzes past my ear, and I duck to avoid the bludgers that were released from the crate. I smile mischievously. Obviously Scorpius, as a good captain, thought he might give the snitch and the bludgers a head start so it would make it harder for us to track them down. Smirking, I fly after the snitch through the clouds, sure not to be seen by the two chasers on the ground. I spotted the sparkling golden ball a few yards away and streaked after it, fast moving but silent. It seemed to be loitering around, safe in the illusion that there was no Seeker currently residing in the clouds. An easy catch. I had it clamped into my small fist within the minute. Who knew that a Snitch could be tricked?

My hand still around the struggling snitch, I fly down to the ground, swerving fast out of the clouds and landing gracefully in front of Scorpius and Albus. "Looking for this?" I say carelessly, tossing the closed Snitch to Scorpius. He snatched it out of the air quick, scowling heavily at me.

"That was supposed to be up there." He said sharply. I shrugged, grinning at him. Al laughed, smiling back at me.

"You can't really yell at your Seeker for catching the Snitch, Scorp." he said, slapping Scorpius on the shoulder. Scorpius let his stern look slide off his face, replaced with a resigned smile.

"Yeah, I guess I can't really get away with that. Especially around you two." He smiled at us both, and we grinned at each other. He started released the snitch in his hand, and it flew off in a second.

"I spent a long time finding that!" I exclaimed, pouting at him. He smirked.

"I find that hard to believe. And, if so, you'll just have to spend a long time finding it again." I crossed my arms over my chest indignantly.

"What a friend _you _are!" I huffed He walked around, searching the skies for the bludgers. Stopping to look back at me, he wrinkled his brow.

"What were you doing up this early anyway?" He asked me. I fidgeted.

"Just woke up early." He snorted, and I scowled at him.

"Yeah, early being five in the morning." Albus supplied unhelpfully. I turned my scowl onto him. He smiled at me innocently.

"You two are really rubbish friends." I said, turning around and mounting my broom again. I was about to takeoff when Scorpius walked over to me and grabbed the tail of my broom.

"Oh no you don't. You're not catching the Snitch early again." he said, gritting his teeth as I attempted to fly up into the air, digging his heels into the firm ground.

"Whatever, _Captain."_ I used the word with as much disdain as I could muster, but it clearly wasn't enough, for Albus burst out laughing and more laughter came from down the pitch. Looking down, I saw Lily approaching stiffly next to the source of the laughter. Lorcan Scamander seemed to be _always_ laughing. I huffed. Then I realized what he was laughing at. The scene we were creating was probably hilarious. Me, on a broom hovering a few inches from the ground, and Scorpius, red faced, grabbing onto the end of my broom, keeping me from flying off.

I got off my broom sheepishly, and studied the pair. Lorcan was trying to contain his laughter, and Lily was walking several feet away from him maintaining a straight face. I sighed. They had seemed so... civil at the Halloween party. They had even danced. Now it seemed that everything was back to normal between the two. But normal was not good.

Scorpius seemed to think that I wasn't going to try to take to the air anymore, so he let my broom go. I didn't hesitate the second he let it go. I was on it in a flash and had taken off into the air. "You're here at—ROSE!" He started to say to them, then noticed that I wasn't there anymore. I sat sideways on my broom and giggled at him from just above his reach, which was actually about eleven feet up, a formidable height. He did a face palm. While he paced frustratedly, I flew softly over to where Lily stood and scooped her up onto my broom. We giggled as Scorpius growled in frustration.

"So, Lil, what's up?" I asked, sneaking a glance at my cousin's face. She looked at me askance.

"No, Rose, I still hate him. Halloween does not change that positively at all." I rolled my eyes. How tiring it was to have a cousin that knew everything.

"I didn't mean _that_." I said carelessly, wondering how easily Lily could see through my lie. She rolled her eyes, jumping off the broom to the ground gracefully, mounting her broom, and grabbing her bat only to fly back up beside me. Scorpius rolled his eyes.

"So, lets start this practice, because,_ clearly,_ everyone's already ready." I smirked back to the ground, meanwhile noticing that while I was up in the air Madeline Williams, our new Keeper, had arrived at the pitch. Lily saluted him, and began to take off, when she turned back to me and said out of the corner of her mouth:

"Where did you last see the bludger Scorpius let go before the practice?" I smiled.

"You know too much for your own good, cousin. It was flying over around the middle of the pitch just inside the edge of the first cloud." Lily Luna smirked at me.

"Good, because I want to beat the Greek lizard to it." She flew off in search while I laughed at her new nickname for Lorcan. She usually came up with a new one each month, and she had recently found out that his last name was some kind of Greek God, and it definitely sounded like a lizard. Lorcan flew past me.

"Where do you think the bludgers are?" he asked.

"Scorpius let them out before practice."

"Damn him." he swore. I giggled as he went in the same direction as Lily. I wonder if she really would catch up to the Bludgers before "the Greek lizard". On the topic of catching things... A glint of gold caught my eye next to the left goal hoops just as Madeline made a spectacular save in the middle one. I gave her a round of applause, silently putting my hands together. She caught sight of it and smiled tentatively at me. I flew off in her direction, determined to catch the snitch again before the end of the practice.

-A+R+S-

"Good job everyone!" Scorpius said, clapping his hands, red from the cold, together, at the end of the practice. "For our first practice, you all did great. Get back to your dorms now." He waved us away. I walked over to the door after most of the team had already left and waited for Scorpius to go first.

"So, what do you think about the game next Sunday?" I asked as he pulled on a clean grey shirt over his bare chest. He smirked at me.

"It's Hufflepuff. We've got it in the bag." I rolled my eyes. I knew for a fact that Scorpius didn't think that all Hufflepuff's were dim, just their Quidditch team. And even I had to admit that they were horrible.

"Well, you want the team to be nervous enough to play properly, don't you?" I asked, not managing to suppress my grin.

"Yeah, that's why I'm not saying it when they're all in here." I shook my head in disbelief.

"You're queer, Malfoy."

"Back at you, Weasley."

"Weirdo."

"Prude."

"Man-slut."

"Catastrophic organizer."

"Messy towhead."

"Bookworm."

"Slacker!"

"Fanatic!"

"Zombie!"

"Rail!"

"Hippo!"

"Fa—wait what?" Scorpius stopped mid-insult to stare at me. I pouted at him. "Hippo, seriously?"

"Hey, I was out of insults."

"You're never out of insults, Weasley. You just like calling me a hippo." I smiled slyly at him.

"Yeah, that too."

"Well, as your captain, I advise you don't insult me again."

"Well, as your friend, I advise you to never say that again."

-A+R+S-

"Come on, team!" I looked up from staring at my three quarters eaten plate with fascination to Scorpius, the blush saying adieu to my cheeks. Our captain looked down the length of the Gryffindor table at our Quidditch team. "Take ten and then come to the changing rooms." He said, standing up and motioning me and Albus to follow him. I was all too happy to oblige. Hugo smirked at me from across the table.

"Bye then, sis. Talk to you later." I shuddered and muttered under my breath: _Hopefully not,_ when I knew he was out of earshot. Shuddering again, I shook myself and ran to catch up with Albus and Scorpius. Pushing myself between them, I slung an arm around each of my best friends.

"So, how are you feeling today, Cap?" I asked Scorpius as we walked away. "As confident as you were about a week ago?" He snorted. I smiled. "I'll take that as a no. What's going on?"

"I dunno. Just don't want to disappoint them, you know. Lily, Lorcan... and Maddie." I smiled understandingly. Everyone on the team adored their little weapon, Maddie, they called her now. The whole team was like the older brothers and sisters to her, and we were all very protective. "Scorp... Lily and Lorcan don't have any expectations.. And Maddie, she's not a bad sport. She loves playing, and she'll try hard to win, but she won't be too disappointed if she's not. She's not super competitive, and she believes in us." He nodded, somewhat reassured. Then he turned his face to smirk at me slowly.

"So, _Rosie_... what's going on with you?" I groaned as Albus snapped his head around to grin at me as well.

"Yes, _Rosie_, what's up?" he added. "You _were_ talking to Hugo, weren't you?" I chest-palmed. Yes, that is now possible. Scorpius laughed along with Albus.

"Did he _plan_ his brotherly attack on me?" I asked them helplessly. They swapped a quick look, then nodded simultaneously. I groaned. Plan A: Insult. "I hate you Weasley/Potter/Malfoy boys. You're all so messed up and... and..." I fumbled around for a negative adjective to describe my family. "protective!" They both cracked up. "I hate you all." I said. They just kept laughing. Okay... this is just stupid. Plan B: Kill annoying friends... after the Quidditch game. And I fell into silence as they continued to laugh, content with the notion of assassinating them both.

-A+R+S-

I pulled my Quidditch jersey over my head, fitting it snugly against my body. I pulled on my robes over it, grabbing my broom and making my way over to the place where we were meeting. I found Madeline there, her arms hugging her knees. I went over and sat down next to her, putting my arm around her. She started and looked up at my shyly.

"You okay?" I asked her, squeezing her slightly closer. She shrugged.

"A little nervous." I smiled at her understandingly.

"It's okay to be nervous." I said. She looked at me sideways with her big blue eyes.

"_You_ aren't." Maddie pointed out cheekily. I smiled and shook my head in exasperation.

"Well, for me I've been working on my moves and playing since I could toddle. I know everything about everything with tactics and such from all my cousins. Plus," I said, smirking. "my cousin Freddie and me are best friends. He was a beater too. And since second year. I hear a lot of tactics from him." Maddie smiled up at me, and I felt something stirring in my belly. Pride. She was like the little sister I'd never had. "Don't be nervous." I said, wrapping my arms around her slender body. "You're going to kick some serious Hufflepuff ass." She smirked as she pulled away from me.

"I knew that much, _Red._"

"Hey! Stop hanging around that thing!" I exclaimed as my little protégé smirked as she laced up her boots.

"Oh, I'm a thing now, am I?" Lorcan said semi-disdainfully as he walked out from behind me and high-fived the second year. I crossed my arms over my chest.

"You were always a thing, lizard, I just felt that out of the politeness of my heart I wouldn't call you that."

"And now has the politeness been spent?"

"No. I'm just using it on someone more deserving."

"Aww, that hurts Red."

"It was supposed to."

-A+R+S-

"Okay, team, gather 'round!" Scorpius said, clapping his hands together. "So, I know that, Albus, Rose, and I have all had James' speech he says before a game memorized since forever, but I will not be saying that. James was James. I am Scorpius. Hopefully, at least. Anyway, what I want to say to you guys is: LETS KICK SOME HUFFLEPUFF ARSE!" He yelled, and we all grinned and put our hands in the middle. "On three, Gryffindor victory!" Scorpius said. Albus and I smirked at each other and counted.

"One, two, three: GRYFFINDOR VICTORY!" The team yelled, and we descended the stairs overlooking the pitch. The commentator, Roxanne, had already introduced the Hufflepuff players, and as we all mounted our brooms, and took off into the air, she did the same for us. I flew out first, twisting and swerving upside down on my broom and righting myself again as I had on the morning of our first practice.

"Rose Weasley, Seeker!" Roxanne says into the magical megaphone. After me she introduces the other players as they come out onto the pitch. "Lily Potter, Beater! Lorcan Scamander, Beater! Madeline Williams, Keeper! Joline Stuart, Chaser! Albus Potter, Chaser! AND, Scorpius Malfoy, Chaser!" Scorpius lands in front of Madam Hooch and the Hufflepuff Captain, and they shake hands. The old professor throws the Quaffle into the air and the game begins. I narrow my eyes as Scorpius catches it and turn away for them, searching the air for gold.

Most players of Quidditch are affected by what is happening around them. When the crowd groans they go to see what's wrong, or when the Quaffle swooshes through goal hoop. I'm not. Like every game before this, the crowd's noise starts to fade into the background, and I begin to search. I do not like to hear everything, see everything when I am up here. Just the snitch and only the snitch is important now.

I spin around on my broom, searching the air, wandering higher and higher into the cold late November sky. The game is distant below when I spot it. Hovering near the ear of the guard Hufflepuff's goal hoops. I smile to myself and shoot down towards the goals, hoping to take a leaf out of the Chaser's book, and my own. I swirl down to sit a few feet behind the goal hoops, going closer and closer. I swear silently as the Snitch seems to sense me there, and flies fast out above my head. Then I notice something. The other Seeker, Malkoms, has seen the snitch too. He is flying fast toward it from the other side of the pitch, but I am in his way.

For some weird reason, I don't think he has noticed me. I decide to pull a trick. Prank on a broom, if you will. As the Seeker gets closer, I prepare myself, tilt my broom so it faces the air above me, wait until he is right above my head, and—WHAM! I fly up in front of the Seeker, and confused, he spins around. The snitch is an arms distance away from him, but he is confused, so I spin my broom, reach out my arm, conscious now of the gaze of not only the crowd but my teammates as well, and stretch to fit my hand around the gold ball. I grab it forcefully and lift my trophy into the air. My hearing is back on, and I lift it into the air as the crowd goes wild.

As the stands erupted with screams, I look around, just in time to duck as the two bludgers whizz past my head. I look up to find that they have collided into Malkoms, winding him and making him clutch to the broom. I try to suppress laughter and blow a kiss in the direction of the Hufflepuff Beaters. Evidently they are very stupid. I fly toward my team, and Maddie embraces me along with Lily. The little girl has tears in her sea-colored eyes. When we land, I crouch down to her level and face her.

"What was the score, Mads?" I ask, using my own personal pet name. She brushes the tears out of her eyes and grins at me.

"Two hundred and fifty to thirty." I hugged her.

"You really are amazing, you know that right?" She nodded, the tears returning to her eyes. Lily came up behind us and hugged us both, crushing us into a big combo.

"WE WON!" she screamed hoarsely. I nodded and ran over to hug Scorpius and Albus. When I let them go, I saluted Scorpius.

"No need to be nervous after all, eh, Captain?" I said, smirking cheekily up at him. He smiled down at me, hugging me and lifting me off the ground with his tall height compared to my own short one.

"Nice job, Weasley." he whispered into my ear. I grinned.

-A+R+S-

"All alone, are you?"

"Go away." I said, not bothering to turn around to see who it was. I knew. Uggg, why couldn't he just leave me alone? I was trying to enjoy myself at a party, and I didn't want his to ruin it. In my subconscious mind, I added _again._

"Aww, that hurts, Red."

"Shut up Scamander." I said sharply, sighing in frustration.

"Oh, come on, Red, this is our victory party. Can't you at least be nice?" I turned to see the face of Lorcan Scamander staring at me.

"You're one to talk about being nice." I said in disbelief with his hurt expression. His eyes clouded over, anger replacing hurt.

"Whatever. Like I would want to be your friend anyway." I huffed in annoyance as he walked away. Couldn't he have decided that _before_ he came over here? Just then Roxanne came over to me, swaying to the music slightly, a goblet clasped in her hand.

"Hey Roxi!" I yelled over the loud music that had just come on.

"Good job in the game Lils!" she said loudly back. I nodded and she whispered out of the corner of her mouth to me, I had to get really close to hear. "What did Scamander want?" I smirked in appreciation. Roxi was a very decent cousin when it came to Lorcan, because she hated him as much as I did. I rolled my eyes.

"Wanted me to socialize with him, I expect." I yelled over the crowd. She rolled her eyes as well.

"As if!" she said back and we smirked identically over at him. He turned his head and caught sight of us, turned pale, and turned away. We both laughed and high fived. Roxanne was the closest to me of all my cousins, barely out-stripping Rose and her brother. Fred was somewhat of an older brother to me as well. When he and James were still at Hogwarts, me and Roxi couldn't get a date for the life of us. Roxi could now, but I still had Albus, which was rotten. In seventh year I would make up for it all, I promised myself. But for now I would just get wasted. I peered into Roxi's glass and looked at her questioningly. She smirked and intoned:

"Firewhiskey." I smirked and took a sip of it, the liquid burning my throat and blurring my sight almost immediately. I had never had much of an alcohol threshold. It was just all at once when I took one sip. Roxanne grinned at me and took a sip herself. "You planning on getting stoned tonight, eh, Red?" She asked. I nodded.

"Definitely."

-A+R+S-

The night was blurred with alcohol as I watched the dancers. I was dead drunk, along with Scorpius and Albus. Well, Scorpius not as much, but me and Al were both dead drunk. No one in the Weasley/Potter households really had any alcohol tolerance, and I had only had three goblets of the stuff. I heard a voice from my side saying to me:

"Rosie, come on." I turned my head and giggled as I saw Lina's blurred figure. "Rosie, you're drunk. Come on, we're going upstairs." I let her lead me away.

"Where are the others?" I slurred as we walked up the enchanted staircase to the girl's dormitories. When we reached our room, she plunked me down on my bed.

"Abby's coming up after us, thank Merlin she was sober tonight, and I have no idea where Gracie is." Lina said, bringing me a cup of water. I took a sip and the edges of the world unblurred slightly. I sat up.

"Abby was sober tonight?" I asked, wrinkling my brow. Lina rolled her eyes.

"She said she would've drank if it wasn't her time of the month." I laughed shakily.

"But what about Gracie?" I asked, concernedly. Lina considered for a moment.

"She wasn't sober tonight. But I don't think she would do something _that_ unreasonable. I mean, it's Gracie we're talking about." I raised my eyebrows slightly and Lina sighed. We both knew what kind of alcohol tolerance Gracie had. It was even worse than mine. "I can't go and find her. And you're in no state to."

-A+R+S-

I wandered the corridors, swaying slightly to the music that I still heard in my ears. Damn I was trashed. What was I doing? And who was I doing it with? Because there was someone in front of me, leading me forward. It was a boy. But who I didn't know.

-A+R+S-

"She doesn't have a very good track record with parties." Abby said worriedly.

"She's probably fine. If she's with someone else, it's a Gryffindor, and nobody in our house would take advantage of her." I said.

"Would they not?"

"The boys in this house are decent, Abs. Don't worry so much." Lina sat on the other side of my bed, and Abby paced worriedly.

"But, Gracie... she's so.."

"Innocent. I know. But she's also a big girl. She can take care of herself."

-A+R+S-

It must be way past curfew by now. But plenty of people were out in the corridors. All of them like the boy and me. Drunk as hell. Just as I thought this he pushed a door open, gestured me in, and pressed my back against the other side of the door. His lips caressed mine, gentle, strong. The sensation filled me again, the one I had only felt once before. My hand went to the back of his neck, and up into his messy hair as he kissed me.

-A+R+S-

"It's late, I think if she's not back soon, we should go look."

"Abby, we should let her take care of herself. She's never appreciated us being her babysitters anytime before."

"But, Lina, what if she's in trouble?"

"She's not."

"You don't know—"

"Abs, leave it."

-A+R+S-

His lips burned on mine, his mouth tasting of firewhiskey and something sweet. He pressed me up against the door, his tongue mingling with my own. Stars seemed to be exploding in my mind as I kissed the boy. It felt so good, his wild nature. Wait, what was I doing, kissing a boy who I didn't even know? But... but... I was sure that I _did_ know this boy, and that I knew his fiery kisses as well... Impossible.


	8. Elfish Mistakes

**Author's Note: Okay, okay, I know. This is late. Kill me now. I have commited a grievus crime. Sorry. I hope you enjoy, though!**

**Chapter 8: Elfish Mistakes**

I looked out of the cloudy window in the last compartment of the Hogwarts Express to the mountains retreating ever so slowly. The train was just leaving the platform, speeding up until the wheels were probably a blur. I looked back to the inhabitants of the compartment, scanning them. Lily and Lorcan were bickering as usual, while Albus sat across from me in the same stance that I am, looking out the window. Scorpius read a Quidditch magazine, ignoring his bickering beaters. I turned my body around so I sat with my back to the now invisible castle.

"What are you reading about?" I asked him pleasantly. He looked up at me and responded just as pleasantly:

"How to get both your beaters to not kill each other simultaneously. It's a very interesting article. It highlights the fact that you might want to kill them yourself anyway." I snorted with laughter along with Albus as Lily and Lorcan both snapped their heads around at the same moment, equally offended. Scorpius smirked and turned to Madeline, who was sitting in the corner across from me next to him, her body tilted to face the whole compartment. "What do you think, Maddie? Good idea?"

"Definitely." she giggled. Scorpius smiled at her and tickled her belly with his fingers lightly. She squealed and kept laughing. He joined her. It was pretty impossible not to laugh when she did. Her laugh was so little-kiddish and infectious. Scorpius boomed gaily.

"So, I guess you're coming over for Christmas again, Scorp." I said. He smirked and nodded.

"Yes, I guess your father will be disappointed again." I laugh at this, my eyes twinkling.

"He never seems to have gotten over the fact that you're his enemy's son, has he?"

"No, not really."

"Imagine what would happen if... never mind." Lily started to wonder, then trailed off and smirked at the two of us.

"What?" we said in unison.

"Never mind." Lily Luna says again, continuing to smile evilly.

"You're not going to tell us, are you?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"I know what she was going to say." Madeline said, smiling mischievously. I glare at her. She shrugs in an apologetic manner, but I know she isn't sorry. Lorcan looks confused for a moment, then realization dawns over his face and he smirks at us. I cross my arms and huff. Albus isn't paying attention, and I doubt he would know what they're talking about anyway.

"_Okay_." Scorpius said. "New subject."

"What are you all doing for Christmas?" I said, relieved. Albus turned away from the window and rolled his eyes at me.

"Rosie, you do know that all but one of the people in this compartment will be going to The Burrow at some point in the holiday, right?" He asked sarcastically. I blushed red and turned to Madeline.

"Mads, what are _you _doing for the holidays?" She smiled excitedly and went on to explain that she was going over to a friends house, then returning to her own. According to her, she had a little baby brother named Jeremy, and a marmalade kitten by the name of Merlin. Both her parents lived with her, and she was very excited to see her muggle best friend, Aleesha, again.

-A+R+S-

I descended to the platform and watched as Maddie ran off to join her friends, an ecstatic smile on her little face. I look back as Lina tugs her trunk to join me, a smile implanted on her face as she looks around the platform. I laugh as she takes off in the direction of a sea of redheads, remembering right then that she was missing someone of my family, too. As I walked towards my family, Scorpius and Al catching up to me in a second, I saw Lina running into the arms of my tall, messy haired cousin. James lifted her off the ground and spun her around once before setting Lina back onto the ground and kissing her soundly. Scorpius grinned as he watched as well. "Guess you two weren't the only ones missing people." I smiled warmly at him, and took off to my family.

"Rosie!" My dad saw me and smiled as I flew into an embrace. My mother stood next to him, beaming at me. When my dad let me go, I went to hug my mum.

"I missed you guys." I muttered into my mother's sweater.

"We missed you too, Rosie." she said, pulling me back and examining me. I look at her sheepishly.

"I like to think that I've grown." I say hopefully. My dad laughed and ruffled my hair affectionately.

"I don't think you have much more to grow, Denim." He uses the pet name he came up with me when I was five, when I got into trouble with Albus and my mother used my full name to yell at me. Since my middle name was Jean, he thought it was funny to call me Denim. I liked the nickname. I pouted, then smiled, hugging him again.

"I missed you Daddy." Before he could respond, I heard Scorpius' voice behind me.

"Hey Rosie, Lina wants to ask you something." he says, coming up and standing next to me.

"Be right there." Dad looked him over, and I braced myself.

"So you're here again." Ron said gruffly. Scorpius smiled at my dad.

"Yes sir. I'm here again. I'll be staying with Albus for the vacation."

"Hmph. Why don't you go to your own house for Christmas? Wouldn't your parents want to see you." Scorpius smiled again.

"I see my parents in the summer, but, actually, you are right. I was considering inviting Rose and Albus over to my place for the winter holidays, but maybe next year." I grinned at Scorpius, knowing that he enjoyed the way that my father's jaw tightened as he said that. "Come on Rose." I waved goodbye to my parents and followed my best friend. As I retreated, I heard my mum say "Ronald" in a reprimanding way to dad. He just huffed like a small child.

"You really know how to rile up my dad, don't you?" I said, giggling. He put his arm around me, grinning avidly.

"Yeppers. And the best part is, he has no idea how to begin to annoy me!" I laughed louder as I approached Lina and James, who were still locked in a tight embrace, neither face distinguishable from the others.

"Oh god guys, gross!" I said, shielding my eyes. James pulled back finally from what seemed like the world's longest kiss, grinning at me.

"What's up, cuz?" He asked, ruffling my hair like my father. I put my hands over it protectively and maneuvered his hand back to his own head, making him look ridiculous when he left it there.

"Nothing, what's up with you?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest, smirking at Lina pointedly. She blushed profusely.

"Um, James asked me to spend the night with him tonight. He has his own flat! I can come over tomorrow afternoon. Is that okay?" she asked me, blushing redder. I grinned at her discomfort.

"Sure, Lina. You two have your fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." I laughed along with Scorpius and James, and wiggled my fingers in goodbye as she laughed weakly, clasped onto James' arm, and held onto him as they turned on the spot and disappeared. I turned back to Scorpius, who was wearing a smirk on his face. He grinned at me wickedly.

"What d'ya think they'll be doing to whole time?" I rolled my eyes.

"I think we both know."

"I'm glad you're not the Albus-squeamish type of cousin." he said, and I giggled.

"Oi! I heard that!" Al stepped out of the crowd, scowling at Scorp. He shrugged, and Albus looked around. "Hey... where are Lina and James? There were just over here exchanging saliva." He looks disgusted, but is now looking around for James and his girlfriend. Scorpius claps a hand on his shoulder, trying to look grave.

"Sorry to tell you this, Al, but they are probably exchanging A LOT more than that now." Albus' face falls and takes on an expression of extreme disgust. I jump in.

"He took her to his apartment, Al. And don't turn your nose up to it. I know that at the victory party last month you did some stuff with a girl." I gave him a pointed look, and he blushed slightly.

"Yes, but we only snogged." I continued to raise my eyebrows at him, and he rolled his own orbs.

"I think I would remember if we had done more, Rosie."

"Fair enough. I didn't need details anyway."

"You sure about that? Because I can provide them, easy."

"You were drunk."

"Hey, give me some credit."

"You didn't know her name."

"Point taken. But I remember some stuff about her."

"Yeah, like what? That she was a good kisser?"

"Yeah, like that. Also, she had dark hair."

"Well, that's good." Both Albus and I looked over to Scorpius from our bickering. He smirked at us. "What? It eliminates most of his cousins." He received two sharp slaps to the head.

"Well, if you find it out who it is, I expect to know before this one." I said, messing up Scorpius' hair with my hand.

"Count on it." Albus muttered, moving away from us. I grinned at Scorpius and dragged him by his arm back into the horde of redheads.

-A+R+S-

I sat on the red couch in my living room, giggling as I played with Scorpius' blonde hair, his head in my lap, and watched Fred chase Lily around us. She was screaming bloody murder as he tackled her onto the other couch, holding her down triumphantly. "Now you have to tell me!"

"No one! It's no one!" Lily whined as she struggled. Fred rolled his eyes. She huffed in indignation. "I don't fancy anyone, Freddie. Let me go!" James walks in at that moment, and I burst out laughing, attracting the eyes of all the inhabitants of the room. James swaggers in.

"Hello cousin who is acting inappropriately with a boy other than her boyfriend. Hello sister and other cousin. What did you say, Lily?" I smirked up at him along with Scorpius and he plopped down next to us.

"Hello cousin who just came back from sleeping with my best friend this morning." I said, grinning at James. He smiled back.

"Damn straight. Now, what'd you say, Lily?" Lily Luna looked up at her brother and cousin helplessly.

"I don't fancy anyone?" she said in a small voice. James smiled slightly at his little sister, watching as Fred let her go reluctantly.

"I'm glad you don't. I don't want to have to kill someone yet, it wouldn't look good if I want to be an Auror." Fred said. Lily huffed from her position on the couch, not bothering to get up and putting her legs over Fred's lap.

"Why do I have to be the focus of all the family protectiveness? WHY ME? Why not you?" She pointed to me. I smirked at her, opening my mouth to respond, but Fred overtook me.

"She has a boyfriend who's a prude. I don't have to protect her from anything. And Uncle Ron is a nightmare father when it comes to boys." I glared at him when he said the prude comment. Oh, how it spreads around. Fred looked down at Lily sternly. "YOU, on the other hand, are not a prude, and neither are the boys you are attracted to. And Uncle Harry is a slack-off when it comes to that."

"I heard that!" Harry's voice floated in from the kitchen. Fred smirked. I frowned.

"Did you just imply that I'm a prude, Freddie?"

"Perhaps."

"You're dead."

"That's not good."

"You actually should be scared. And stay out of her reach for the holiday." Scorpius said from my lap.

"Nah, I'm not scared." Fred said carelessly, putting his hands behind his head mockingly. I grinned at him, ideas starting to form in my head at the speed of light

-A+R+S-

We all were seated around the Christmas tree, sipping hot chocolate and conversing eagerly. The younger generation, including me, were all fidgeting around waiting to open presents. The clock struck nine o'clock, and, as always, we began. "Okay, is everyone here?" Hermione began, and I froze. Oh, no no no. Everyone looked around to see, and after a moment, my dad said:

"I think that's everyone." I sighed in relief, but a second later Angelina spoke up.

"Where's Fred?" A stir went through the crowd as people looked around for my cousin.

"Has anyone seen Fred?" This was all too much. My cheeks reddened, puffed out, my eyes sparkled, and I burst out laughing. All eyes were now on me.

"Rose Jean Weasley, what have you done to your cousin?" my mother said in a dangerous voice. I stifled my laughter and looked straight at her.

"Last time I saw him he was stuck at the top of a tree." I said helpfully. A few people murmured their concern, and Angelina ran outside to check. Hermione narrowed her eyes at me. My eyes twitched up to the top of our Christmas tree, and back down to my mother. She didn't miss the twitch.

"He's not out there!" Angelina said, racing back in.

"ROSE JEAN WEASLEY GET HIM DOWN FROM THERE!" My mother yelled at me, obviously connecting two and two.

"I can't mum, I'm underage." I shrugged apologetically. She glared at me.

"Well, CLEARLY you could bend those rules for getting him UP there, so should be able to get him DOWN."

"Fine." I sighed, pulling my wand out of my skirt pocket. Everyone else stared, confused, as I lifted my hand, flicking my wand, propelling the little angel on the top of the tree to eye level next to my head, and turning it back to its normal size. Then they all burst out laughing. Because it was not an angel that glowered down on us, but Fred Weasley II, covered in blush and donning a tu-tu.

"Rose Weasley I am going to fucking kill you in your sleep tonight." He said, gritting his teeth. I giggled at the sight of my cousin dressed like this. When I put it on him, he was small. He gave me a last withering glance and stormed back upstairs. With that the whole Weasley/Potter population burst into hysterical laughter, and even my mother allowed herself a giggle after she had glared me down.

"OI ROSIE! I GOT A PICTURE!" George Weasley, Fred's dad, laughed, holding up a magical camera and laughing.

"Nice job there, squirt." James laughed. I punched him in the arm, trying to frown but not managing it. The whole family was still congratulating me when Fred walked back into the room, makeup-less and scowling. The room fell silent. Then my mother spoke stiffly.

"Rose Weasley you are grounded for the rest of the holiday!" I smirked.

"Mum, there's only a day left of the holiday."

"That is why you are also grounded for the first week of summer." She smiled, and I opened my mouth in indignation. My dad winked at me, and I scowled at them both. Well, maybe they would forget by that time. I hoped. Not likely!


	9. Autumn Comes Early

**Author's Note: Hi people! SUMMER TIME! HUZZAH! YAY! Okay, so this chapter is very short, I know, but I wrote the whole thing today, so cut me some slack please. If you're confused, basically Molly gets a makeover and Lucy isn't happy about it. I call it Autumn Comes Early because Molly's middle name is Autumn, and I lack creativity currently. Hope you like it!**

**mellypotter1223: Thanks! My mom is a writer, so I've been writing for a long time, so that must have something to do with it. Oh... ya. I never really thought about the time it takes to plan a wedding... Well, I guess it probably helps a lot that they're magic, you know?**

**Chapter 9: Autumn Comes Early**

I ran my fingers through my red hair, leaning my head back over my bed. The chill air clung to my every curve, March proving to be even colder than December was. My eyes closed blissfully, my body relaxing. Oh how I loved the silence...

"Where did you put my hairbrush?" The whiny voice of Amber McLaggen broke through my comfort, making me open my eyes in annoyance and glance at my arch-enemy slash roommate. Gracie rolled her eyes and tossed Amber her stray hairbrush. The girl shrieked, ducked, and then glared at Gracie, grabbing the brush. Gracie plunked down next to me.

"What's up?" she asked. I flipped over onto my stomach and rested my head on my elbows

"Nothing. Just thinking. It's your birthday tomorrow." I said.'

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Shut it, okay? Just humor me." I said, grinning slightly. We sat in silence for a few moments, then I turned to her, my brow wrinkled. "Hey, I've been wondering for a while. You know the party for the Quidditch match before last? Where were you? I mean, after, when Abby, Lina, and I went up, you weren't there. You turned up the next morning, but we never asked where you were. Where were you?" Gracie narrowed her eyes in confusion, then they cleared.

"I actually have no idea." she confessed. I rolled my eyes, and she hit my shoulder. "No, seriously, I don't remember. I think I fell asleep outside the common room, so maybe someone carried me up or something, but apart from that... I don't remember anything."

"Ah huh." I said. She rolled her eyes and jumped off my bed, flouncing out of the door in her impeccable uniform.

-A+R+S-

I skipped over to the Gryffindor table, setting my bag down at my feet as I sat and grabbed a roll. Lunch was my second favorite meal, after breakfast of course. And I always had the same thing, a sandwich. Call me weird, but that's all I need. Scorpius and Albus slid down one on either side of me.

"How did you like the Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Al?" I asked my cousin, smirking at him.

"Loved it. Theory of patronuses. Old geezer won't let us try to conjure one yet, even." Abby walked past and slapped him over his head.

"That "old geezer" is my father jackass." She said crossly, plopping down next to him. Al grinned and ruffled his hair up.

"Yeah, well, he's not mine. But, anyway, when we do get around to practicing, I'll surprise him." I smirked at Al.

"I doubt he'll be very impressed. He thinks you're a git, you know that right?"

"Yeah, I know." Albus said, unbothered.

"Tell me again why you won't teach me how?" I asked, pouting. He smirked too, putting his hands behind his head.

"Because that would be too easy, Rosie Posie. I want you to learn the hard way."

"What, like the way you learned was the hard way. You just got cornered by James and Fred in black sheets. Big whoop." I snorted. We bickered for a while, and I finished my sandwich. Standing up and dusting my hands off, I turned and nearly bumped into a petite girl.

"Oh, I'm so—Molly." I stopped in the middle of my apology as I caught sight of my cousin. She was looking up at me with those big amber eyes through her glasses. She smiled at me tentatively.

"I need your help."

-A+R+S-

"Molly? MOLLY WEASLEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE WEARING?" I turned around from my friend and looked at Lucy. She was storming over to me.

"Hey Luce." I said apprehensively.

"Don't you "hey Luce" me. What are you wearing?"

"My clothes."

"THOSE ARE NOT YOUR CLOTHES. THOSE ARE LILY'S CLOTHES! WHY ARE YOU WEARING LILY LUNA POTTER'S CLOTHES, MOLLY?" I stared at her.

"Because she let me borrow them. They gave me a makeover." I said feebly, Lucy towering over me.

"Well, they look horrible on you. And that skirt is much too short." With that my sister stormed off. I felt tears form in my eyes, and Tracie grabbed my arm.

"Don't listen to her, Moll. You look gorgeous." I shook her off.

"Doesn't matter." I choked out, and ran back to the dormitories. I got there, shut the bathroom door, and leaned over the sink, staring at my reflection. Filling the basin with water, I cupped some and rubbed it over my face. I opened my eyes, and found my gaze trained on the water rapidly filling in the sink. I turned the tap off. How I wanted to drown myself in that slight bit of cold water at this moment...


	10. Patronuses

**Author's Note: Hi people! SO, since summer is upon us, I'm going to try to post twice a week, but cut me some slack please, I might not. I know I'm going pretty fast, but I promise: I'm going to write a lot of the summer, too. On the 28th I'm going away to an island called Naushon on the coast of Massachussetts, then Europe, so I won't be posting during those times, but I'm pretty sure I will be _writing,_ just other stuff, though. You see, next year is 8th grade for me, so high school apps! I'm applying for SOTA: creative writing, so I have to do the application during the summer to prevent stress, it's a lot. Hope you like this chapter!**

**Chapter 10: Patronuses**

_I walked through the corridors, happiness radiating through me. I was safe. I was loved. I was—wait, what was that? I heard a movement, and tried to swing my head around, but suddenly it was clamped in place, a cold metal pressed against it. I tried to scream, but my mouth wouldn't move. Pain shot through my being, and I tried to run, run from it, but I was frozen in place. My brain screamed at my limbs to move, but I was made of marble, unable. What was going on? Light shone through the dark setting, as if curtains had been thrown back from the scene._

The sound of curtains being thrown back from the window woke me from my dream. I screamed, sitting straight up in bed and pushing my hair out of my eyes. I looked around. Gracie was staring at me from her spot on the window seat, and Lina was sitting upright in bed, giving me a concerned look. Abby was getting up blearily from the floor where she had fell when I screamed, and Amber and Riley were still asleep, due to the fact that they both wore earplugs to bed.

"You okay Rosie?" Lina asked me, getting up and coming over to put her arm around me. I nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, it was just a dream."

"I'm sorry." she said. I nodded again, avoiding her eye. Instead, I looked over to the clock on my bedside table and screamed again.

"OH MY GOD CLASS STARTED TWENTY MINUTES AGO!" I said, panicking. I jumped up from my bed and stumbled over my sock, then picked it up, attempting to jam it onto my foot. I looked around at my friends, confused why they weren't doing anything. "Come on guys we're late!" They looked at each other with mildly amused smirks.

"Actually Rosie, it's Sunday." Abby said in a tone that she would otherwise use to try to explain to her baby brother that one plus one equals two. I glared fiercely at them all as they smirked at me.

"_Well, _couldn't you have told me that thirty seconds ago?" I asked huffily, sitting back down on my bed next to Lina. They smirked at me.

"Because that's no fun!" Gracie laughed.

"I hate you all." I said into my pillow. They just laughed.

-A+R+S-

At ten, when my friends had finally succumbed to my pleading to get ready, I went down to breakfast, rather refreshed from my rare-occurring shower. When I sat down, Albus acknowledged my presence by grunting through his eggs.

"Good morning to you too, Albus!" I said faux-cheerily. He grunted at me again. Scorpius leaned over across Al to hand me something. I took it and looked at the blank envelope, then back at him. He shrugged.

"That came for you just as we got down. I thought I should get it for you." He winked. "Don't worry, I didn't read it." I snorted.

"What? No thank you?"

"Oh, and how would I phrase that?" I sensed him smirking as I looked down at the letter.

"Thank you ever so much Scorpius you handsome, superior, man."

"Thank you even so much Scorpius you _handsome_,_ superior_, _**git**_." I said with a smirk. He laughed, and I opened the letter.

_Dear Rosie,_

_Ah, I feel like I haven't written to you in so long! I bet you've had a very dull time in life without my letters! OH! I have to ask you something—has the owl spoken yet? Lets hope not! I know you're scowling right now, probably at my over-protectiveness, but, hey, I'm only human! Anyway, you know I don't really like that Frank dude, even if all the girls at Hogwarts would always fawn over him all the time. Actually, it's partly because of that! You know I can't help the protective older cousin thing! Maybe James has gotten over it over the years, but I will not!_

_Soooo... How's life? Tell me everything! Actually, not everything, I seriously do not want to hear everything, because everything probably includes details of your relationship with MR. I-HAVE-A-LONG-BOTTOM, so I really don't need to hear that. Actually, I heard that he was a prude from Fred. Now, Rosie, control that temper! He told me before Christmas eve. I don't think he needs another trip to the top of the tree as an angel, because I'm pretty sure that's what got him sent up there in the first place! That was brilliant by the way! Even your Vic thought so._

_Speaking of Vic, she wrote to you too. If she said anything about me, be sure to tell me in your response. Oh, don't look at me like that! She's been weird lately. I'm sure nothing is seriously wrong, though, she would have told me. Tell Lina James said hi... He's totally smitten if you didn't know... Well, of course you did. Whatever. See you, cuz!_

_Sending friendly salutations,_

_Teddy Lupin_

I snorted at the dismissal. Sending friendly salutations? Honestly, who does he think he is, Uncle Percy? Folding Teddy's letter up neatly, I opened Victoire's, making a mental note not to tell Teddy a thing.

_Dear Rose,_

_I've missed you! I cannot believe that you are in sixth year already, and it's already May, meaning you only have three more weeks until the end of the school year, in June! You've grown so much since that little girl years ago—mentally, not much physically. How are you doing? I have to admit, that stunt you pulled with Fred on Christmas Eve was hilarious, even your mum allowed herself a giggle! Fred's really pissed at you though... You have no idea how he's been lately.. It's hilarious. Every time I see him, he's trying to look bigger by puffing out his chest and going on and on about all the "manly" stuff he's been doing as a Trainee Auror. Don't worry, though, I've got him in check. I just had to remind him of how lovely he looked in blush to squash him down. He's sort of back to his old self, but you TOTALLY humiliated him. He's having a hard time living it down with James, but you know those two, they're tweedledee and tweedledum, can't possibly be angry at each other for more than a second. They're completing each other's sentences more now, it's not just Fred making fun of James for his mushy-ness about Lina... he still does that too._

_By the way, I know that Teddy wrote you a letter too, and if I know him I know he asked you to give you a blow-by-blow of my letter. Don't do it. And tell him in your reply to mind his own business and that there is nothing wrong with me. I've just been a little moody lately, don't know why. Sometimes I wonder if boys ever grow up. He's still that little boy to me I guess. Oh shut up Rose, I know you hate mushy stuff, but just humor me, okay? I love Teddy. You'll feel it one day, even if it isn't with Frank. Hope you're doing well._

_Your loving cousin,_

_Victoire Weasley Lupin_

I smiled to myself. Just like Vic, throwing romance into her quips about Teddy. _He's still that little boy to me I guess._ A pang of sadness went through me when I read that. Who would I ever get to feel that way about? Not Frank, I knew. Maybe the only person that I would be able to feel that way about was my brother. I looked down the table at where he was laughing with Lily and sitting with her friends. Shuddering, I remembered the time before the second Quidditch match when he had said quite cheerfully that, quote: "I know we're going to win but I'm sad for you, Rosie, because you're playing against your boyfriend's house. You don't have a chance of getting any for weeks after." Oh, well, I guess my little brother has passed the point when that's all he thinks about. And NO I did not mean me doing... stuff... with Frank. I meant... well you know what I meant.

Where was I?

Oh, yeah, Vic and Teddy's marriage. I loved those two. I stored away the two letters in my bag, thinking that I could respond later, when I had time.

"Who were they from?" Scorpius asked, jerking me out of my own world. I looked up.

"Teddy and Victoire." I said. He nodded.

"What did they tell you?" Albus asked, swallowing his food in one big gulp. I looked at him in disgust.

"The importance of chewing your meals before swallowing them." He rolled his eyes and went back to the grand pile on his plate. I looked at Scorpius in disbelief.  
"How is he not fat?" My friend shrugged.

"He's Albus."

-A+R+S-

I slid into the seat next to Lina and Scorpius, putting my binder down onto the desk and sitting down, breathless. "Miss Weasley, do you have an explanation on why you are late?" Professor Finnigan looked down to her seat, slightly amused.

"Yes, uh. I overslept." I said weakly, and he chuckled slightly.

"Very well Rose, settle down." he said, turning back to the board and flicked his wand to make a word appear there. He turned to us. "Okay class, today we will be focusing on patronuses." He said. Abby raised her hand into the air. Seamus Finnigan raised his eyebrows at his daughter.

"Yes, Abigail?" He asked.

"Yes, _sir._" She said with a slight smirk. "Didn't we study patronuses last week?" Her father smiled slightly.

"Yes, we did. There is a difference, however. This time we will begin conjuring the patronus." The class gasped slightly, and the Professor smirked slightly. "Shall we begin? Stand up, all of you, please." The class rose simultaneously. He waved his wand with one great flourish and moved all the desks to the side of the classroom.

"Now, to begin, close your eyes and think of your happiest memory." Professor Finnigan started to pace between the students. I closed my eyes hastily and searched my brain, willing myself to find a suitable moment. I finally settled on last halloween of this year, dancing with Lily. I focused on it, capturing every detail, then opened my eyes. My classmates around me were gradually copying my slow motion, some nodding their heads in certainty. Seamus Finnigan looked around, and spoke when everyone's eyes were open once more. "Focus on the moment, then say: Expecto Patronum." He pointed his wand at a blank spot on the floor, conjuring a silvery dog. "Off you go!" People began to spread out, muttering the spell. I nodded, closed my eyes again, then pointed my wand at the space in the front of me.

"Expecto Patronum!" I cried semi-loudly. A small amount of mist streamed out of my wand, and I sighed, looking around the room and catching sight of Albus and his stag patronus, something he had inherited from his father and grandfather. Scorpius sat beside him and winked at me, his shiny eagle sitting on his shoulder. I huffed at him, then took a deep breath, fixed the memory in my head, and said the words softly. Opening my eyes, I gasped at the sight before me. A small owl flew gracefully around my head, it's wings tilting to make a perfect circle around its master. I smiled smugly over to Scorpius, who laughed.

I walked over to them, crossing my arms. "Nice stag Albus. Has it found Bambi yet?" His ears reddened.

"What's your owl, then, Pigwidgeon?" He laughed. My cheeks flushed as they laughed, and I huffed and watched my classmates. Lina was struggling to produce a corporeal, while Gracie was turning in circles watching her butterfly fly around her and land on her shoulders at times. As I watched, a beautiful horse burst out of Lina's wand, and she sighed in relief. Abby was having more trouble, cursing her wisps of light.

"Class is over! Homework: to practice the Patronus charm." Professor Finnigan says, clapping his hands together. Abby sighs and leaves before all of us. Gracie made to go after her, but I stop her.

"Just let her blow off some steam, Gracie." I tell her. She nods, looking regretful as her butterfly disappears. My owl chases Scorpius' eagle around a few rounds, then they both disappear. _Damn,_ I thought. I liked that memory.


	11. Gotta Be You

**Author's Note: Okay, everyone! Hi, how are you doing? I'm doing pretty well, how about you? Enjoying your summer? I hope so! I also hope you'll enjoy this next chapter. It's one of the most eventful chapters I've ever written. It goes pretty fast, but it's packed, so I hope you like it! For people who don't know, it's called Gotta Be You after a One Direction song, which is a boyband from The X Factor in UK. Haters, lay off them. They're just normal people in the end, and what gives you any more right to criticize one of them than anyone else? I like them and this is an Albus/Gracie chapter, and the song really captures the couple, so ya. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 11: Gotta Be You**

_Just another day of wondering. _Staring into the mirror, I played with the long ends of my black hair, looking into their dark chocolate depths. I sighed and pushed the bathroom door open, looking around the dim dormitory. Smiling a bit, I watched Abby curl up around her comforter, one leg out of its sheets. Wrenching the curtains open, I stared out into the milky grounds. When light came in thirty minutes or so, it would wake them up, so I wouldn't have to feel bad about doing it myself. I was always the one up first, so it was generally considered my job, well, for my friends at least.

I walked over to the dresser that sat next to my bed, looking down at the uncompleted letter. I quickly sit down and jot down a few last words (I miss you. Your daughter, Gracie.), put the letter in an envelope addressed to Cho Valorie Chang, and slid it under my jumper, standing up and walking out to the staircase. I slid down the marble slide quietly, hoping that no one would be in the common room this early. I needed to mail a letter, and I didn't want to have to make smalltalk.

I looked around, and, thankfully, no one was in the room, although the fireplace still burned lightly. Walking the length of the space, I pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady, careful not to wake her from her snoozing. I turned onto the staircase that led up, climbing stair after stair to the owlery. When I reached the remote drafty places, I walked through the door slowly, at once realizing that I was not alone. As my footsteps sounded in the room, the boy spun around quickly from looking out the window, and his hand went to his hair.

"Oh, hey!" I didn't know his name, and he seemed to realize that. He walked closer and held out a hand. "Mike Everfew." I took his hand, shaking it.

"Gracie Corner." I said in return. He smiled shyly.

"I know." We fell into an awkward silence, in which I scanned the owl perches, finding Eclipse, the family owl among them and calling her down. I attached the letter to her leg and watched her fly off until I turned back to the boy.

"So, Mike, what're you doing up here so early?" I asked him. He smiled.

"Same as you, I guess. To send a letter." I mentally smacked myself in the head for being stupid.

"Oh. Who were you sending it to?"

"My sister. You?"

"My mum." We continued with our friendly banter for a while, and I felt myself warming up to the boy. When the sun was past the mountains, Mike checked his watch, then smiled back up at me.

"I'd like to talk to you more. Could we maybe go out sometime?" He asked. My heart skipped a beat.

"Sure." I heard myself saying. He flashed me brilliant smile, turned to walk away.

"See you then. I'll get back to you when the next Hogsmeade weekend is announced."

"Yeah, bye. It was nice talking to you." I said, watching him go. When he was gone, I turned back to the window. _Did he just ask me out?_ I asked myself. Yes, yes he did. I felt a flicker of excitement pass through me, accompanied by fear. Part of me said: _Oh my god, my first date with a guy!_ and the other part scolded me: _Gracie, you barely know the guy! Remember what happened to you mother? You should be careful!_ In the end, I decided to ignore the second one, going down to breakfast in a cheery mood.

-A+R+S-

Hey, Gracie.

_What?_

Oi, don't be touchy. I want to ask you something.

_I'm trying to take notes._

No, you're not.

_Well, no, I guess I'm not. _

I need help.

_With what exactly._

I haven't got Lily a present yet.

_WHAT? You're her brother Albus!_

I figured as much.

_Oh, don't give me that. So I assume you're here to ask what you should get her?_

Uh... yeah.

_Well, what does she like?_

I dunno.

_Yeah you do, you're her brother. Just give me a list._

Um... jewelry, makeup, Quidditch, animals, clothes, music... blokes.

_Blokes? Really? Well, Al, why don't you just get her a bloke for her birthday!_

Well, aren't you in a cheery mood today, Gracie!

_Sorry... hmmm. Why don't you get her a pretty bracelet or something?_

She has way too many of those.

_Okay... are your parents O.K. with pets?_

Yeah... we have a dog.

_Then why don't you get Lily a cat or something?_

Hey, that's a good idea! Thanks, Gracie!

_Sure, anytime. You better go out and get it right after class, the party's tomorrow!_

Ughhh... I hate skipping lunch, but I guess I have to. I heard her party's going to be big.

_Well, you can't expect anything else from your sister, can you? She's got the popularity __AND__ the prankster Potter genes._

I guess. I just hope she doesn't get drunk. A drunk Lily Luna Potter is not good news, for herself or her family... or anyone else for that matter.

_Do you mean she hooks up with someone random?_

Well, yeah... but that's not what I'm talking about. Anyway, the drunk hook-up thing kind of runs in the family.

_Do tell._

Didn't you know that my parents first got together at a party?

_Well, yeah, but they weren't drunk, were they?_

...doesn't matter...

-A+R+S-

When I ran into the girl's dormitory at the end of the day in front of the girls, I deposited my binder and bag on my bed quickly, then turned to them excitedly. They filtered into the room slowly, looking at me in surprise by my energeticness.

"Guess what?" I said excitedly, sitting down on my bed.

"What?" they asked curiously in unison.

"A boy asked me out this morning!" I squealed, bouncing up and down on my bed. Three incredulous stares focus on me.

"Nah, was it a girl?" Abby said sarcastically, breaking the silence. I roll my eyes at her. Rose puts her burdens down slowly and walks down to sit next to me.

"I thought you said you never wanted to date?" she asked me. I shrugged.

"It's not like he asked me to be his wife or anything. He just asked me on a date, to Hogsmeade. He said he'd like to talk to me more." I said carelessly. Lina came over to sit on my other side, putting a hand on my forehead.

"Gracie, are you alright?" I laughed at their concern.

"I'm great, Lina. But thanks for your concern."

"I try. What lad did you say asked to court you, m'lady?" Lina said poshly, mock-bowing as she got up from my other side and made her way walking backwards to sit on her own bed. I giggled at her antics.

"Mike Everfew." I smiled. Abby nearly toppled off her bed.

"Mike Everfew? Do you mean Michael Everfew, the Hufflepuff Quidditch star? The heartthrob Mike Everfew? _He_ asked you on a date?" I rolled my eyes at "the heartthrob", not knowing half of the information.

"I guess." I shrugged, agreeing halfheartedly.

"Oh my god! You did say yes, didn't you?" Lina squealed, jumping up and down.

"Of course I said yes!" I exclaimed.

"You need to be careful, Gracie. Really," Abby said unsmilingly. I looked at her questioningly, and she looked back at me seriously. "I'm serious. This boy has a real reputation of being a heartbreaker." I walked over to her, putting both my hands on her shoulders while facing her.

"I'll be okay. Trust me, Abby." I said. She smiled a little uneasily. I sat back down at my bed. "Anyway," I turned back to her, crossing one leg over the other and smirking. "You're really one to talk."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." she said, smiling and avoiding my eyes in pretend cluelessness.

"Does the name Ryan Turner ring any bells?" I said, reaching out and poking her arm. She laughed.

"Yes but I knew what I was doing." she said.

"Aw huh." I snorted. She prodded me.

"Oh, don't give me that! You're the innocent one! I can be as protective as I want!" I crossed my arms like a small child and humphed as all the girl took turns ruffling my hair like overprotective mothers sending their toddler off to their first day of preschool. Well, the truth wasn't far from that, anyway.

-A+R+S-

I walked down to dinner alone, giggling slightly at what had happened earlier. The girls had departed in their own directions, Rose leaving a few minutes before everyone else to the dinner. I turned the corner just as I reached the bottom the staircase that led up to the common room entrance, and stopped in my tracks.

There, in the almost empty corridor, was Rose talking to a boy who I identified as a seventh year Slytherin. What was Rose doing, talking to him? I walked down the hallway slowly and quietly. The boy seemed to be talking to her, and she putting on a brave face. Maybe it was innocent.

"Uh, hey Rose?" I said nervously, and both their heads turned. Rose looked slightly relieved. "Do you want to come with me to dinner?" I asked feebly.

"Sure." I walked up to where they were, looking from one to the other. Rose takes my hand and tugs it toward the entrance of the Great Hall. "Come on, then." she says.

"Remember what I said, Weasley!" the boy calls after Rose as she disappears, tugging me behind her. I only have time to give him one last confused glance before I disappear also.

"What was that?" I asked my friend once we were seated at the Gryffindor table.

"Oh, nothing. He was just trying to intimidate me for the game next week."

"Oh, yeah, the one on Thursday, right? He's on the team, isn't he?" she just nodded.

-A+R+S-

"Hey, it was funny!" I protested as the other girls giggled.

"Yeah, but you couldn't hear it too well, could you?" Abby retorted. I rolled my eyes.

"But Abby, that just made what he said more funny!" Rose said between giggles, clutching her stomach.

"It's not Al's fault that he has a strange addiction to food!" Lina piped up, laughing also. I rolled my eyes again and giggled along with them.

"Well, I beg to dif—" Abby stops suddenly right in the middle of her word, catching sight of something to their left, her eyes turning stony. I look too, and my heart sinks into my stomach. The other girls, sensing something is wrong, turn their heads. A sick feeling begins in my stomach as I watch the two people wound around each other. Abby opens her mouth in indignation, and, quick as a flash, I cover it with my hand. She glares at me, then tugs my hand over to the end of the corridor, Rose and Lina following. Once we are out of earshot of the corridor, she tugs my hand off her mouth angrily.

"You should have let me say something!" she exclaims, clenching her fists.

"It wasn't important!" I say back.

"He was cheating!" she says.

"He was _not_! He only asked me out on a potential date, anyway. It wasn't set in stone. Frankly, I don't really care." She gave me a disbelieving look.

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you." she growls, turning away. Rose shoots me a sympathetic glance, and we all follow our roommate. It's true, though. She did warn me about Michael Everfew. Now I know she was right.

-A+R+S-

I slosh down another gulp of the tainted butterbeer, staring around the party. Rose comes up beside me, also taking a sip from her butterbeer, but smaller than mine. "You planning on getting drunk tonight, Gracie?" she yells to me over the music.

"Totally." I say, taking another mouthful of the alcohol.

"It's not because of what happened yesterday, is it?" she asks tentatively. I shake my head.

"Nah, I just want to have fun."

"Okay, as long as you're sure." she sidled away into the crowd, leaving me alone with my drink. Oh, I definitely _was _going to get drunk tonight.

-A+R+S-

I woke in the morning after the party, a headache pounding against my skull, big circles under my eyes. I lifted my head slowly, looking around my dorm. My friends slept peacefully in their own beds, pajamas on, looking healthy while dreaming. They didn't get sloshed last night. It was only me. How did I get back up to the dorm, then?

Then everything came back to me. I let my head plop back down on the pillow with a thump. "Not again!" I muttered under my breath. Apparently Albus' family wasn't the only one which had a trend of making out with someone random at a party. This time I remembered more than last time, though. I remembered that we kissed, but I also remembered that we did not do anything else—thank Merlin. I remembered, the most clear out of all my recollections, the warm hands of the boy as he carried me up the girls staircase and set me down on my bed. Looking back on it, I had no idea how he immobilized the staircase, though, since it technically should have turned into a slide.

I got up and made my way over to the bathroom, shutting the door and turning on the shower. I shed my clothes and stepped into the flow, flinching at the cold water. My shivering gradually decreased as the water began to turn warm.

I remembered one more thing, too: The boy that I snogged last night was the boy that I snogged before. I just knew it. But I still had no idea who it was. And I wasn't about to tell anyone.

-A+R+S-

I growled as I opened my eyes into the brilliant sunlight. Scorpius wrenched the curtain open, smirking at me slightly. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!" he mocked me as I rubbed my eyes.

"Fuck off." I grumbled, turning back around in my bed.

"Had a nice night last night?" Scorpius smirked, pulling a shirt over his head. Right then, everything flew back into my brain. My lips hot on someone else's, my hands cupping her face, looking into her dark brown eyes—Gracie! I snogged Gracie Corner at Lily's party!

"Yeah, just spiffing." I said grumpily, pushing the emotion out of my voice hastily. I couldn't tell him, he would just gloat.

"Snog anyone this time? Or did you just get stoned?" Scorpius asks, amusement apparent in his voice. I got up out of bed.

"Just got stoned." I answered, putting a hand to my pounding head. Scorpius laughed.

"Shame. The last girl was a brilliant kisser, didn't you say?" I just grunted noncommittally. I remembered one more thing, too: The girl that I snogged last night, Gracie, was the girl that I snogged before. I just knew it. But I had no idea what to do. And I wasn't about to tell anyone.

-A+R+S-

I flopped down on the grass in the Hogwarts grounds, studying the sky. I heard a noise behind me, but didn't move as Albus sat down next to me. "Al, do you believe in love?" I asked, turning my head to look at my friend who was watching the sunset also.

"Yeah." Albus said, still gazing at the sky.

"Do you think you'll ever find it?" I asked, looking back in front of me.

"I dunno."

"Do you think you can fall in love with someone when you don't know who they are?" I asked.

"Maybe." He didn't look at me. I didn't look at him. "I guess it depends on how much you want to know who they are."

"I guess."

-A+R+S-

I sat down at my place at the Gryffindor table the next day, my friends sitting down next to me. Not even a minute after I started eating, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I spotted Mike Everfew behind me. He grinned at me. "I found out the dates for the Hogsmeade weekend." He said. Anger bubbled up inside of me, and I sneaked a look at the girls, who were all staring at me and him.

"Yeah, about that, Mike." I started, trying to look sympathetic. "Me and the girls have something planned, since it's the last trip, you know?" I said. He frowned slightly.

"Oh, okay Gracie. I'll see you, I guess, then." he turned away. Once he was back at his table, the girls erupted into cheers. I bowed my head, giggling. Scorpius and Al looked at me, confused, from across the table.

"Don't ask." Rose told them, chortling. They raised their eyebrows, but didn't say anything. I think Al even looked... relieved...


	12. The Quidditch Final

**Author's Note: Okay, people. I know this chapter is short. I know you don't like that fact. But, due to that, I will be posting the next chapter sooner than the next weekend(I will be gone then anyway). I'm going to Massachusetts and then Europe, and I will be back who knows when. Well, I know, but I don't feel like checking. I'm going to be gone for about four weeks. I will continue to post when I get back, and maybe sometime during the trip, since I only don't have internet for half of it. I originally wrote this with the next chapter combined, but then I liked the ending for this chapter too much, so now they are separate. This chapter is sort of straightforward. Hope you like it!**

**courtneykutie: Oh, thanks! I did recently enable the anonymous ones, but still not much. A lot of people favorite it and stuff, though. I think I post pretty regularly. Scorpius/Rose is starting very, very, soon, don't worry.**

**Chapter 12: The Quidditch Final**

"Okay, team." Scorpius looked around at the tight circle that was the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Lorcan was hitting his bat up against his knee, his jaw set. Lily fidgeted in the space beside him, her eyes darting back and forth between all of the players and the door. Al sat, his elbows resting on his knees, looking slightly green. Madeline sat on the floor between me and Lily, leaning against the lockers, twiddling with the ends of her silky hair. Lina seemed the only person on the team who was not nervous, but then again, she never got nervous. Scorpius faced us again, putting an end to his pacing.

"I usually don't like to get your hopes up." He said, sitting down next to Albus. "But I _know_ this time—" He looked around at us all, his silver blue eyes fixing on each of us in turn intensely. "—I _know_ that we have Slytherin. We have all fantastic players, and all they've got is their own spite. Maddie," He turned to the little girl. "Protect all of the goals equally. They haven't got a preference. When Madison gets the quaffle, watch the other players as well. He's a superb passer but can't score very far away. Albus and Lina, we're not doing loops or tactics. Go with what you feel is right, and what works for you. We'll know what to do. Lorcan and Lily." He turned to the Beaters, a smirk forming on his features. "Hit the bludgers like they're each other. That's all I've gotta say. Don't worry about protecting us, we'll manage. And Rose," he turned to me and gave me a long look. "Don't pull any kind of tricks or fake dives with Nott. He's too smart and it uses up your energy. Just _find the snitch_ and catch it. If you do that, we win. If you do that, we'll have the Cup."

-A+R+S-

In the background, I heard the commentator yelling, the crowd cheering me on, and the whipping of the wind going through my hair. I heard Nott cursing from behind me, speeding up and racing to catch up. I was less than a foot away now, and I stretched my hand forward—reaching, reaching—for the small golden Snitch. Nott was close too now, and, panicking, I used one hand to balance on my broom and with the other, in one frantic grab at the golden object, caught it. Looking around at the silent crowd, I held it up in my hand, showing it to my teammates. It seemed that everyone had taken a huge breath in, and now they let it out. Then the cheering erupted from the crowds.

I grinned and held the Snitch up in the light. Nott glared at me, then smiled maliciously and began to fly down. I smiled triumphantly, then looked over to my team, who were all flying over to me. The first one to reach me was Maddie, and she pulled tightly into a hug. Then all of them piled on.

"WE WON! WE WON THE CUP!" Scorpius yelled hoarsely into the dark air. I smiled into the darkness. _This memory will last forever. This day will be my happiest day in my life. Nothing could spoil it. _I thought, smiling. Little did she know what else would happen that very day...


	13. Can't Run, Can't Hide

**Author's Note: Just to start us off, this chapter will be a very unhappy chapter for all of you(I hope) and for me too, I know. I'm definitely not adding this in because I want it to happen, please don't think badly of me. This chapter contains violence, if you have a relatively undisturbed and young mind I'm telling you, DON'T READ IT! I really cannot stress this enough. This chapter shows how, for lack of a better term, evil people in life can be. This story is rated T for a reason.**

**Chapter 13: Can't Run, Can't Hide**

I walked alone, the corridors making no sound, no one out. My body felt numb with happiness, not afraid in the least of the night as I made my way back to my victory party, our win a brightness in my mind. I had beaten them, beaten Nott to the snitch, and won the game for Gryffindor. It was a happy blur now in my mind, my team descending upon me, Frank kissing me in front of everyone because we won the game.

Creak... The noise turned my head as I stopped my feet, looking over to the door where the faint noise had come from. It was probably nothing... Wariness drifted into my thoughts, filled with the realization that had escaped me before. I was walking perfectly alone through the corridors of Hogwarts at eight o'clock at night after I beat Philippe Nott to the snitch, therefore winning the Quidditch cup for Gryffindor over Slytherin. Once I came to this conclusion, I felt not only stupid but extremely scared.

I broke into a run through the empty corridors until I reached the bottom of the staircase that led up to the entrance of the Gryffindor common room, at which time I slowed down, my heart rate going back to normal. Just as I had calmed down I heard footsteps on the staircase, and the menacing face of Philippe Nott appeared. My eyes widened but I made no move to run, hoping that I would appear as if I were unafraid.

Nott sneered when he saw my poorly illuminated face, his cold eyes trailing down my figure. "Done with your little Gryffindor gloating party already, Weasley? I thought you were more proud of your victory, or maybe you're just ashamed to show down someone that is _clearly_ better than you." He smirked.

"Hardly Nott, I was just going to it. You know they say you shouldn't gloat too much about an easy victory." I said, smirking at him to hid my fear. His face changed to venom in a heartbeat. He advanced quickly on me, leaving the edge of the staircase and winding around my body so he was behind me and facing my body.

"Easy victory Weasley? Famous last words." He breathed down onto my shoulder, and I shivered, now terrified. Out of his pocket Nott took, not his wand, but a long, black handled knife that's blade glinted in the moonlight. He pressed the flat side to my neck, grabbing my hair back as he did so. I inhaled tightly, my hands sweating, my knees trembling as he put his mouth near my ear, but I still managed for my words to be strong.

"Stop Nott. Leave me alone. There's a whole room of Gryffindors in the common room and if you do anything to me they'll hear." I said bravely. Nott dragged my by my hair over to the entrance of a broom closet and, still keeping the side of the knife to my neck, pushed me inside.

"In here they won't." he said maliciously. I whimpered, putting down my guard and letting my fear show. Nott grinned an evil grin, and, keeping the knife ready, bent down and brought his lips to my neck. He kissed again, then bit, putting a mark there as I groaned painfully. Nott threw me onto the floor below him and I landed on my stomach, pain filling it. He laughed cruelly at my pain, and I tried to find the door handle in the darkness, but couldn't.

He sunk down on top of me, biting down on my neck again while undoing the straps to my top. "Just remember this Rose, now you can't run, you can't hide, and _no one_ can hear you scream." he whispered in my ear. Nott pulled in down and I lay limply under him, shock radiating through me as I didn't try to fight. I felt my skirt being pulled down too, along with my underpants, then he undid his belt. I knew what was coming. He sunk onto me and considerable pain radiated through my body. My last thought was that can't someone, anyone, find me now before I fell unconscious.

From a far distance away I seemed to hear a bang, and a voice screaming, then a heavy weight being lifted off me. "Rose, Rose wake up!" My brothers sobbing voice reached my numb ears, but I couldn't respond. He lifted me delicately in his arms, redressing me, then walking slowly and carefully away from the scene.

-A+R+S-

_I felt pain radiate through my body as Nott sunk on top of me. I heard a bang, and the broom closet door flew open to reveal Hugo. "Get off my sister!" He yelled at Nott, taking his wand out and pointing it my attacker. Nott got up off me, buckling his belt and smirking at Hugo as I collapsed. "Rose, Rose wake up!"_

"Rose, Rose wake up!" A voice said frantically above me. I screamed and sat straight up in my bed in the hospital wing, pain shooting through my back. Lily's concerned face looked down upon me, along with Hugo's tear-stained one. A relieved sigh sounded past them, and I spotted my mother and father sitting across from my bed.

My mother reached a tentative hand out towards me and squeezed mine gently. "Are you okay Rose? Hugo told us about your fall down the stairs." I looked questioningly at Hugo and he gave a small shake of his head.

"Fine mum." I said tiredly, sinking back onto my pillows. A sob sounded from behind the screen, and a tear-stained Victoire ran out from behind the curtains and bent down beside my bed. She kissed both of my cheeks frantically, then pulled me into a hug that hurt.

"Rose, you're alive! I thought... I thought..." Her voice broke and she backed away and began crying again. Teddy Lupin came out after his girlfriend from behind the screen and let her cry into his shoulder.

"Alright Rose?" Teddy asked, grinning at me, and I smiled weakly back.

"Yeah. I'm alright." Looking around, I examined them all. "What day is it?" I asked.

"The 1st of June." Lily was the one who answered. I wrinkled my brow.

"But the game was on the 29th." I said. The look on their faces answered my unspoken

question. I had indeed been asleep for two whole days. Speaking to all the people in the room, Teddy said:

"Let's let her sleep, that's the best way she can heal now." My mother nodded, then bent over me and planted a kiss on my forehead.

"We have to leave now. If you have anything to tell me, anytime, I'm here." she said, and I could see doubt in her eyes; I knew she didn't really believe the story about me falling down the stairs. Then again, would practically my whole family be visiting if any of them believed it? My dad walked up to me.

"Get better. That's an order, Rosie." he said gruffly, and I managed a light laugh. My eyes were already closing, and I fell once again into sleep. When I woke, five familiar faces were sitting by my bed.

"Hi guys." I said weakly, sitting up in my bed. Gracie flew forward as soon as she say I was awake, hugging me fiercely.

"Rose, you're okay, you're alright! Madam Pomfrey said you would be but... but..." Her bottom lip trembled like a small child's, and I returned the hug she had given me.

"It's all right Gracie, I'm okay, it wasn't that big of a fall." I said comfortingly, putting an arms out to touch her arm when she pulled back.

"Yes it was! You were asleep for two whole days, don't think that doesn't tell us something about the degree!" she said shrilly. Al put his arm around her shaking shoulders and hugged her.

"As long as Rose is okay now, I don't think it matters that much." Albus said to the room at large.

"As long as you _are_ okay, Rose." Abby said, looking concerned.

"Guys, I'm really fine." I said impatiently.

"How'd you manage to fall down the stairs, anyway?" Scorpius asked, looking me over carefully, but a tint of laughter in his voice. "I know you've always been clumsy, but _really_." I mock-pouted at his words.

"I just sort of... fell." I said lamely. Scorpius nodded exaggeratedly.

"Yes, that is what usually happens." I kicked him for that. He just laughed.

"Go away... I wanna sleep." I whined. They all laughed slightly, and got up to leave. As Scorpius was just about to go, he turned his head and said to me:

"Be more careful next time, 'kay Rosie?" I nodded. I saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes as he left. Maybe because I didn't tell him anything more than the automatic story. Good to know that he didn't believe it, too.

-A+R+S-

The next day, when I woke, the two people I was confronted with were Lily and Hugo. My eyes opened, and Lily snapped her head around, staring at me. This was one of the weirdest things about her. She. Knows. Everything. Hugo looked, too, and his serious face broke into a slightly strained smile.

"You alright, Rosie?" he asked.

"Better." I admitted. I glanced at Lily.

"She knows." he said, then frowned. "And she wouldn't let me go after him."

"Thanks, Lil." I said to her. She smirked at me.

"I knew you wouldn't want him too, so it's not a problem."

"Well, you were right. As always."

"Are you planning on telling anyone what really happened?" Hugo asked carefully. I shook my head, too choked up to answer.

"Thank you, Hugo. For saving me." I said. He shrugged.

"I couldn't leave you there."

"Why were you down there, anyway?" I asked. He grinned.

"Melissa and I thought that we should have some privacy." I rolled my eyes at his answer. Melissa Fairgrounds was his girlfriend of three weeks.

"So you pulled away from the kiss to save me?" I said, pressing my hand to my chest. "I'm touched Hugo, truly touched." He laughed.

"Actually, we were just going back in when I heard something. I told her to go back." I nodded, understanding.

"Well, I guess I should be grateful that you snog in privacy." I said sincerely, then wrinkled my nose. "For two different reasons, mind you." Lily starts to giggle, and then Hugo starts to laugh, too. I look between them, and then begin to laugh too. I laugh louder and louder with them, not bothering with my pain. When we finished laughing, Hugo smiled at me and pulls something from his jacket pocket.

"I thought you might find this interesting." I look at them questioningly, and then just smile. Unfolding the piece of paper, I realize it's a torn out article from _The Hogwarts Inquirer,_ the school newspaper. Looking down, I begin to read.

_The Hogwarts Inquirer:_

_Slytherin Retaliates?_

_By Glinda Skeeter White_

_At noon on Friday, the 31st of March, the Gryffindor Quidditch team continues on their winning spree by securing the Quidditch cup for Gryffindor the third year running. The game, against the Slytherin team, lasted a school record of seven hours before Seeker Rose Weasley of Gryffindor house captured the golden snitch a second before her competitor, Philippe Nott of Slytherin did the same. The ending score of the game was 210 to 60 Gryffindor, as both teams were tied 60 to 60 when Weasley caught the snitch. According to Albus Potter, chaser on the Gryffindor team, 'the party was already planned and food brought up well before the snitch was caught because we knew we would win'._

_Despite these plans, Seeker Rose Weasley, center of attention, did not attend this party, as she was last seen by this reporter walking up alone from the match, worn out but ecstatic by this day's happenings. Now, two days after the match, none but close family members have been able to see her, for a close friend and relative had been sighted carrying Rose Weasley up to the Hospital Wing late on Friday night, bruises apparent on the Seekers skin. When I attempted to talk to the close relative of the Seeker, he told me quite rudely that it was none of my business and that it would be kept that way. If that was not enough, Rose's mother and father and significant other people were seen coming out of the hospital early yesterday morning, in a rush but looking worried none the less._

_So what did happen to the seeker? Some people believe she may have an injury no one noticed from the game, may be tired, may have been careless, or... attacked. One of her close friends, namely Abigail Finnigan, exclaimed in loud outraged tones at the Gryffindor house table early yesterday morning that the Slytherins had something to do with it, she was sure. Evidence adding to such a case is that a Gryffindor student who wishes to remain unnamed spotted Slytherin seeker Philippe Nott by the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, just standing there._

_"I came to congratulate Malfoy on his performance as Captain, but didn't have the chance. I didn't see Weasley at all." says a casual looking Nott at lunch yesterday when I inquired. Whether the outraged friends, family, and house mates of Rose Weasley will be satisfied by this explanation is yet to be determined, but I can tell you one thing. If Hugo Weasley still wears the mysterious story of Rose falling down the stairs like a crown, that would explain Nott's role in this all... Falling and getting pushed aren't very different things. Keep your eyes open, and I'll see you next week with The Hogwarts Inquirer!_

I looked back up at them both to see that they were grinning. "Did you really say that to her, Hugo?" I asked, trying to suppress my laughter. He shrugged.

"She deserved it."

"Sounds like it." I laughed. Then I hugged them both.

"You can't tell, you know that right?"

"For now, we won't tell a soul." Lily pledged. Hugo nodded. I smiled at them both. I loved my relatives.

-A+R+S-

"Rose, I know what happened." I turned to look at the entrance me, to see who had spoken. It was Lina, looking at me with a sad expression.

"What do you mean?" I asked gruffly. My mind was racing at the moment. Who had told her? Had she told someone else? Had she—in a stupid act of rage, confronted Nott?

"Did you really expect me to buy the story about you falling down stairs? Well, I haven't. None of us have. I was suspicious, so I asked Lily." My mind raced. Had Lily told her? "She only told me because she said she knew that I would figure it out pretty quick anyway."

"She shouldn't have told you. I asked her to not tell anyone."

"Rose, Lily's a smart girl. And based on what she is, she would know better than anyone if she should have told or not. She _knew _I would figure it out, so she told me. The only thing I don't understand—" there she paused, and just looked at me. "—is why she had to." Then she walked away, leaving me frozen in place, staring after her.

-A+R+S-

I walked out of the hospital, finally free. Madam Pomfrey had said that the bruises would fade in a few weeks, but I would have to be careful during Quidditch practice. Thank Merlin that I hadn't missed any games. One thing that wouldn't wear away, though, was the fear. Maybe it would be better next year when Nott was gone, graduated. But then there would be the other Slytherins, and George, Nott's brother, who looked so much like him. I knew that, whatever I tried to believe, the fear would never go away. It would be like a shadow lurking in the background, ready to strike, quite like Philippe Nott himself. Ready to outsmart its opponent.

"You're out!" Lily was the first one to greet me when I walked into the Great Hall for dinner. I nodded and began to serve myself mashed potatoes. I looked the Great Hall over and, for a moment when my eyes rested on the Slytherin table, my eyes locked with Nott's and he smirked. I looked back to my food, suddenly not hungry anymore.

"Funny how much damage a staircase can actually do, isn't it?" Albus said, ruffling my hair affectionately. I smiled in a way that I was sure wasn't convincing, but it was enough for my suspicious cousins. Not enough for other people, it seemed, though.

"Yes, funny." Scorpius remarked, his eyes fixed on me, trailing down my neck to the bruise right on the left side of it. I lowered my eyes as his gaze darted to the Slytherin table where Philippe Nott had went back to his food. Well at least he was the only one putting two and two together, and he was probably getting nineteen anyway.

As I walked up to the dormitories with Lina, we apologized to each other. I said I was sorry, and she told me she was sorry for blaming me, and she should have been sympathetic.

"It was partly my fault, too."

"How?"

"I knew about him...stalking you... but I didn't do anything. I should have told someone."

"I asked you not to."

"I guess." We walked in silence for a while, before she turned to me and said: "You know Rose, you still have to be careful." I nodded, agreeing while my eyes darted around the shadows, checking if anything was there. We walked in silence for a long time until we got to the portrait hole, and when we got inside, Lina stopped me. "I mean it Rose. If you don't promise, I swear I'll go over there and tell Scorpius and Al."

"I promise! And I know you mean it!" I said loudly, yanking my arm out of my friend's hand. Lina blinked, then matched my tone.

"I don't know if you do, Rose! You can't let your brain stop this time, you have to be prepared!" her voice rose to a yell, and heads began turning in our direction, noticing that we were fighting.

"I don't know what's with you! You'd think that I was helpless!" I yelled back to her.

"YOU ARE HELPLESS SOMETIMES ROSE! WE ALL ARE!" Lina yelled at the top of her voice, and people began leaving the common room to escape the yelling. Only my family and friends remained.

"THEN WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"

"TRUST US! YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS!" Lina yelled, waving her hand around at the people. I glared at her fiercely.

"Why does everyone has to say that? Trust me, trust her, trust us? You're acting just like Frank!"

"Why, what did Frank do?" Lily asked, standing up from where she was sitting, walking over to us, and crossing her arms with an inquisitive look on her face. I froze as she said it, remembering our conversation.

_*Flashback to a week ago*_

"_You're being quiet." Frank said from where he was at the side of my bed, holding my hand._

"_I guess I just have a lot on my mind."_

"_Really? I would think you would be bored out of your mind, having to stay in here because you fell down a staircase. Bummer." he said, looking at me sharply, and I could tell he wanted an answer. But I was not ready to give it to him, so all I said was "yeah". He stood up, letting go of my hand, and began to walk away._

"_Where are you going?" I asked. He turned back to me, looking at me fiercely._

"_I don't know what it is with you! Falling down a staircase? Do you really think that any of us believe that? No, we don't. I don't get it. Don't you trust your family and friends? Don't you trust me?" He began yelling. "BECAUSE IF YOU TRUSTED ME, YOU WOULD TELL ME!" I couldn't believe Madam Pomfrey hadn't made an appearance yet. I just stared at Frank, at a loss for words. His face took on a cold expression and he turned._

"_No, Frank, you don't understand! I would tell you if I could!" I screamed desperately at his back. He turned and looked at me, and there was no affection in his gaze._

"_Don't make promises you can't keep." He said at last, then turned, never to look back again. I remembered the line from another time, his carefree voice ringing in my ears as we raced down a corridor. "Don't make promises you can't keep!" It said cheerfully out of breath. Never again. Because after what he had said, I understood perfectly. It was over for me and Frank._

_*End of Flashback*_

"Because he broke up with me." I said gruffly, turning and making my way up the girls staircase.


	14. Rip Off

**Author's Note: Hey-o! So….. I just finished writing this in Naushon(coast of Massachusetts near Martha's vineyard), and I probably won't be posting it until I get to Europe or I get internet(I am currently writing this on Word, not Google Docs like usual). I have no idea who came up with the brilliant idea to have the only internet access in the barn, but whoever it is should be hanged! Just kidding, but really, WHY THE BARN? I hope you like this chapter, hopefully you will be satisfied. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 14: Rip off**

I hugged my knees closer to me, staring outside to the grounds from the window seat in my dorm. The mist of winter had long since disappeared, along with February, and it was less beautiful without it. Sighing, I slumped my shoulders. Lina looked up from her reading exasperatedly.

"Okay, I've had to listen to your sighing for over an hour, and I'm done." She said, getting up, and walking over to me to help me up. "I know you've been through a lot between last month and now, but you have to stop feeling sorry for yourself. It's disgusting and it won't help you or my food digestion."

"Gee, Lina, who knew you cared that much about your intestines?" I said sarcastically, standing up and walking over to my bed to slump sideways again.

"Just a joke, really. It's like a part of you _died._ It's depressing." she said. "And don't you dare try to sit back down. Yeah, I get it, the exams are over, you should get to rest, but this—" she gestured to me, my robe wrapped around my mini pajama shorts and top. My crumpled hair drooped. She sighed, strode over to me, and grabbed my shoulders. "—is just too much. You haven't been out of the dormitory for a week. You have _worn the same underwear_ for a _week._"

"I changed it yesterday." I mumbled under my breath. She held on to my shoulders and got me up.

"_You_ are getting up. _You_ are getting dressed, and _you_ are _going_ to the annual Weasley-Potter-Malfoy and co. end of year Truth or Dare party!"

"No way." I said stubbornly, sitting back on my bed. Lina looked down at me, her eyes softening.

"Rose, I know this really affected you, but you have to move past it. You're just doing what he wants if you stay here forever." I sighed and looked down at my hands. "And, hey, what kind of best friend would I be if I let you, anyway?" I looked up at her, set my jaw, and nodded.

"Fine. But I don't have to like it." Lina cracked a smile.

"I didn't say you had to like it, though, did I?"

"I suppose not. Come on now, let's get ready."

"Oh, do you really think it will take me as long as you to get ready? You practically have to reawaken yourself from the dead. I only have to brush my hair."

"..."

"HEY! That hurt... okay, maybe I deserved that."

-A+R+S-

Thirty minutes later, I stood in front of the door of The Room of Requirement, clean and ready to face my doom…. otherwise known as the annual game of Truth or Dare, by my family. Lina came up next to me, looking at me sideways, grinning, and wrenching open the door that had materialized into the blank wall at my appearance. I braced myself, then walked into the dimly lit room after her. Everyone had looked up at the sight of Lina standing in the doorway, peering behind her for me. When I came into the doorway, everyone cheered, glad to see me out and about at last. I spotted James near the opposite wall, smiling lopsidedly at me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him, startled. He lifted himself up and walked over to us.

"_Someone_ hinted to me that she was going to lug you out of bed for the game, so I thought, what the heck? You only live once, right?" He said, winking at me and kissing Lina on the mouth, much to the groans of my family.

"Right." I deadpanned, staring around at my family. Scorpius gave me a quick smirk as my gaze passed his, and heat rose in my cheeks. _Weird,_ I thought.

"So, come on! You're not going to just stand there staring, are you?" Fred said with a lopsided grin identical to his friend's. I guess he managed to forgive and forget about 'The Incident' during Christmas.

"I just might." I said sarcastically, folding my arms. Then I plopped down beside Al, Lina sitting with James across from me. James lifted his arm out to me.

"Since Rose came in last, I think she deserves to give out the first Truth or Dare." He says over the grumbling of my cousins. "Who will it be, Rosie?" I look around contemplatively, and my eyes land on Lily.

"Lil, Truth or Dare?" I ask her. She wrinkles her nose in indecision.

"Truth." She says finally.

"What is the weirdest thing you could ever think of doing?" She thinks for a second.

"I would say jumping off the Astronomy tower in the hopes of falling into the Black Lake to swim." I laugh, and Albus wrinkles his brow at her.

"You thought of doing WHAT?" he asks incredulously.

"Hey, I was drunk!" she says, lifting her arms in a pose of surrender. He rolls his eyes.

"You know, I didn't think it would be that." I say, smirking. Lina catches on.

"Yeah, I thought it would be more like…. I dunno…"

"KISSING LORCAN SCAMANDER!" I crow, laughing. Lily reaches across to hit me. Lina giggles.

"Nah, I think that would be more like her worst FEAR!" everyone's laughing by now, and Lily is glaring at everyone. This might actually be fun, I guess.

-A+R+S-

I lay my head on the carpet, worn out. Everyone seems to be half asleep except a few people including Scorpius, James, and Fred. Lina is fast asleep, her body cradled in James' lap. James waves his hands to catch everyone's attention.

"Alright, alright, last one!" he says in a whisper. Turning to Scorpius, he asks: "Truth or Dare?"

"Dare!" Scorpius exclaims under his breath. James smirks.

"Kiss Rose." He says simply. At those two words, Albus topples over the chair that he is sitting in above me, Roxanne sits straighter, her head no longer resting upon her hand, and Hugo widens his eyes from his spot on the floor. The clan is itching with alertness now, waiting to see what we will do. Scorpius looks over at me, and I see something in his eyes…. tenderness? He leans over, and my body begins to tense up with something I don't recognize. It can't be... excitement? No, must be my tiredness playing tricks.

Scorpius leans over to me, but instead of touching my lips with his, he kisses me lightly on the cheek. People groan lightheartedly in the room, and James yells: "Rip off!" Scorpius looks around at everyone, a slight smile playing across his lips.

"How about we turn in?


	15. To End A Year

**Author's Note: This is another short chapter, I know, with a HUGE cliff hanger at the end, but the next one will be a continuation, and I will post them close to one another, don't worry. Right now I'm in the airport, so I'll keep this quick. Right now I'm in Munich, but I'm going to Sweden. I don't have much time, so enjoy!**

**Chapter 15: To End A Year**

I took one last look at my dorm. It was clean of all the belongings of my friends and I, save the posters on the wall, which would be taken off only at the end of 7th year, when we would leave for good. How sad it would be then, I thought, blank walls staring back at the former inhabitants, ready for the next 1st year Gryffindor girls to live in. I thought of Frank, who was in fact now facing his empty room, gathering his trunk to leave. Endings, people said, were the start of something else, but that didn't prevent them from being sad.

Sighing, I gathered up my belongings, ready to take them downstairs. The graduation had ended an hour ago, but I had not lingered to talk. To me, the particular ceremony was accompanied by relief, not sadness. Relief of Nott being away from my friends and I. Relief that I wouldn't have to experience the awful heart wrenching guilt as Frank walked down the corridor past me. I would miss Dom, though, miss seeing her walk around the corridors laughing with her friends or cheering me and my team on at the Quidditch Pitch. Although Vic and I were much closer, Dom still had a special place in my heart that no other cousin could inhabit. She was the one you could trust with anything, no matter what. She kept the secrets that you couldn't imagine telling anyone else. No one could replace Dominique Weasley.

"Why so glum, chum?" Lina asked, walking up next to me. I turn to look over at her.

"I dunno… just nostalgic I guess." I say. She smiles and pokes me in the ribs.

"Well, it's not as if we're never coming back, though! Next year's our last year, don't forget." She jokes.

"As if." I snort.

"You _will _come over this year, won't you?" she looks at me reproachfully. "Because you said you would last year, but then you didn't. And I _still_ have to teach you how to drive!" I roll my eyes.

"Of course I will. When should I?" I say. Lina shrugs.

"I'm not going anywhere. Just call, and most likely I'll say yes."

"'Kay."

"Vicki is looking forward to seeing you. She was last year, too, but…" Lina trailed off, grinning at me slightly. I shove her.

"Come on, let's go get our stuff to the train already!" I exclaim. She and I are the last to leave our dormitory.

"Calm yourself, impatient one!" Lina exclaims, grabbing her trunk and dragging it after me down the stairs. Then she puts it down, mutters a swear word, and lifts it into the air with her wand. "Much more efficient!" she says to herself.

-A+R+S-

I get off the train in a hurry, dragging my trunk after me as I run towards my family. I lift it up into the air with my wand, then make it smaller, then stick it in my pocket. Looking around, I spot a patch of ginger hair in the crowd, and race toward it. As the man turns around to face me, I smile. My uncle grins back at me, holding out his arms.

"Uncle George!" I yell, running into his arms. He lifts me slightly off the ground with his height.

"Rosie! The last time I saw you, you were unconscious!" he says, ruffling my hair. "Up and well now, though, eh?" George grins down at me, and I smile back.

"Are Fred and James here?" I ask, looking around for my cousins. He laughs.

"Do you really think Fred would take time off to meet you guys?"

"I assume James is here, though, right?" I smirk. My uncle grins at me.

"I don't think Lord Voldemort himself would prevent James from seeing his lady-love." George says. The he looks over my shoulder and says: "Speak of the devil! Oi, James, over here!" I look over to see my cousin coming over to where we are standing, a slightly distressed look on his face. I smile at him.

"She's over there, Jamie." I say patronizingly, pointing in the direction of Lina and her family.

"Thanks." He says distractedly, making his way over to her, not even bothering to tell me not to use 'Jamie' on him. I snort.

"He saw her not two days ago." I say, looking after him. George shrugs.

"Guess he's just dying to "meet the parent" right?" Laughing, I walk away from George over to my mother. She turns to see me, smiles, and opens her arms. I walk right into them.

"I missed you." I whisper into her jumper.

"I missed you, too, sweetie." As I break away from her, Dominique runs up behind me, a wild look in her eyes.

"Rosie, I'm so sorry!" she says breathlessly, stopping in front of me. I wrinkle my brow.

"What for?" I ask, confused. She takes my arm and drags me toward one of the barriers.

"I really am sorry, Rose! I know I shouldn't have, but he just…. And I always—" she gabbled. I grabbed her shoulders, stopping her.

"Dom, what are you _talking_ about?" I asked. She turned to meet my gaze at last, her eyes full of guilt.

"I'm dating Frank."

**A/N: Oooooh, cliffhanger extreme, right? How do you think Rose will react? Her most trustworthy cousin dating her ex just a week or so after he broke up with her.**


	16. Never Have I Ever

**Author's Note: Hi all! Okay, so now you're going to be saying—you said you were going to post the next chapter soon after! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! You just never know when you have internet out here, we were just in Sweden for two days to watch part of my brother's soccer tournament. For one, I'd just like to say: soccer players are hot. For two, I really liked the male attention for those two days. Call me a slut, but you sort of feel special when there is a whole soccer team checking you out, and a like 18 year old Central American guy even waved at me when I was in a train. See, that NEVER happens to me in the US! Anyway, I hope you like this chapter!**

**P.S. I'm too young to be a slut anyway.**

**Chapter 16: Never Have I Ever**

_Previously on The Spark:_

_ "I really am sorry, Rose! I know I shouldn't have, but he just… And I always—" she gabbled. I grabbed her shoulders, stopping her._

_ "Dom, what are you talking about?" I asked. She turned to meet my gaze at last, her eyes full of guilt._

_ "I'm dating Frank."_

"WHAT?" I exclaim, staring at my cousin in disbelief. She wrings her hands.

"I'm really sorry. He asked me out just a few days after you two had broken up, and I had always liked him, even when you two were dating. I didn't want to hurt you." I just stare at her. "Rose? Please say something."

"I'm not angry at you." I say finally. She stares at me in disbelief.

"You're…. not?" I shake my head.

"I wish he hadn't gone on to date someone else so quickly, but that's not in any way your fault. He's probably better with you than with me, anyway." She blinks a few times, probably to make sure she's still awake.

"But, why?"

"I didn't love him. He keeps my spirit down, but with you he's more similar to you, so he would know what to do more often." Dom nods in an almost dreamlike quality, as if she can't believe what she's hearing.

"So… we're okay?"

"We're okay." I say, smiling. She nods again, and walks off. Looking around, I take a deep breath, and head over to where Lina and James are standing. Clearing my throat loudly, I make them turn their heads. They were talking to her mother, and she smiles when she sees me.

"You've grown so much, Rose." She says, hugging me in a motherly fashion. I smile.

"Thank you. It's nice to see you." I say, breaking away. As soon as she releases me, a hard weight cannonballs toward me and hits me hard around the middle. I look down, smiling, and see Victoria, Lina's little sister, hugging me around the middle. At eleven years old, she's very short, and reaches to about my forearm.

"ROSIE!" she yells excitedly, hugging me.

"Hi, Vicki!" I laugh, sweeping her up into my arms and hugging her. When I put her down, she looks up at me, crossing her arms.

"You will come over this year, won't you?" she asks reproachfully. I laugh, remembering her older sister doing the exact same thing this morning.

"Of course I will."

"Promise?"

"Promise." I look around to James, who has his arm around Lina. "See you." I say to my friend, giving her a hug.

"Soon, hopefully." She says, returning it.

"Definitely, bye!" I say, turning around to go back to my family.

-A+R+S-

"MOM! Hugo's trying to sneak out with his girlfriend again!" I yelled over to my mother, who was chatting with Aunt Ginny next to the house. She turned and gave Hugo a glare that, considering the circumstances, said: 'this is a family gathering don't you dare leave'. Hugo, with his arm still around the girl's shoulders, turned to give me the finger. I giggled, sipping my drink near the fire. I was grounded for the first week of the summer hols, so I had decided to take it out on my brother by stopping him every time he tried to sneak away to a quiet place to snog his girlfriend. Cruel, yes, but so satisfactory.

I was allowed in only one space, right beside the fire. So if I wanted to talk to someone, I had to get _them _to come over to_ me_, not the other way around. It was tiresome how much my mother went at lengths to punish me. I turned my head around, spotting a heated argument by the two beaters. As I watched, Lily shoved Lorcan, and Lorcan dodged her movement, smirking. She stormed away from him.

"Hey, Lily!" I called out to my cousin. She turned back from the entrance to the house and saw me. Relief clouded her features, and she came over to sit by me. "What's up?" I ask, jerking my head around to gesture to Lorcan.

"Oh, nothing much," she says, smoothing her hair and trying to be nonchalant.

"He was hitting on you again, wasn't he?" I say knowingly. She sighed.

"I don't _get_ what he means by it! I just—ugh! And then he—UGH!" she said frustratedly, making a little girl talking to Lysander stare at her in fear.

"Yeah, I know Lils, but calm down, okay? People are staring." I said soothingly, patting her arm. She sighed again.

"Why does my life have to be so confusing?"

"Might have something to do with the fact that you are Harry Potter's daughter." I said offhandedly. She hits me. "Hey, don't take it out on me! I didn't do anything to you!"

"That's what they all say." She snorted. I smile. Through everything, it's still the same old Lily.

"You know what we should do?" I say, a mischievous glint coming into my eye.

"What?" Lily asks.

"Lets play a drinking game." I say. Lily looks at me, a smile appearing on her face too.

"Never have I ever!" she says excitedly.

"That's perfect! Can you round up some people?"

"Why can't—oh, yeah. You're grounded."

"Yeah." I say, slumping down in my seat. "I can't believe my mom even let me come to this barbeque."

"It's because it's a gathering, Rose, you can't miss a gathering." Lily says earnestly, laughing. I roll my eyes.

"Just gather up some people already."

"Fine. HEY PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE WRINKLES!" she yells at the top of her voice. All the kids turn to stare at her. "Come over here and play Never Have I Ever!" Half of the group makes its way over, and Uncle Harry stops some of them.

"Only above the age of 15!" he says. A few children grumble, but soon enough all the Weasley/Potter/Malfoy's above the age of 15 are over near the fire, sitting in a circle. We pass out firewiskey.

"Who goes first?" James asks the group at large. Roxanne raises her bottle, a smirk on her pretty face.

"Never have I ever made out with someone I'm related to." She says, laughing. Thankfully no one raises their glass to their lips. We go around clockwise, so Dominique's next.

"Never have I ever had a crush on someone twice my age." She says, looking around curiously for her cousin's reaction. Blushing, Victoire raises the glass to her lips. Roxanne follows her. It's Lily's turn now.

"Never have I ever kissed the bane of my existence." She says triumphantly, glaring at Lorcan. He smirks back at her. My smile falters, and I glance around, and then raise my glass to my lips, taking a sip. When I put it down, Lily's looking at me in horror. 'Oh my god I'm so sorry' her eyes say to me. I put my glass down and clear my throat, placing a smile onto my face, trying not to take notice to my cousins staring at me.

"Never have I ever let someone feel me up." I say, looking around at the girls in the group. Roxanne looks around at the people, smirking slightly, then lifts the glass to her mouth. Fred chokes. Victoire follows, and Hugo's girlfriend takes a slight sip, too. I hardly noticed she was there.

The line continues, and I pay attention when Fred's turn comes. What hasn't he done? He pauses before opening his mouth. "Never have I ever wanted to have my kid sister be a slut." He says, giving Roxanne a look. She laughs, hitting him over the head slightly. No one drinks at this, though James lifts the glass to his lips jokingly, and then puts it back down laughing. We go around in a circle until we're all drunk, and surprisingly Roxanne happens to be the drunkest. I drank to: "had a friend snog someone drunkenly", "told an adult to sod off", and "eaten a grape with chili powder", along with many others. At midnight when everyone was finally leaving, we were all giggling for no reason.

"This was soooo fun." My brother's girlfriend hiccups, leaning on his shoulder. I nod blearily, stumbling back to the house. It takes a few tries to get through the front door, but then I run up to my room, collapsing on my bed. _Barbeques are pretty. _I think, falling asleep.


	17. When Things Fall Apart

**Author's Note: HEEEEELLLOOOOO all of you! Before I introduce you to this chapter, I will say, to start this all off, that I am SOOOO EXCITED! You can't possibly be more excited than I am. If the title turns you off, please don't! This is the BIIGGG chapter! I have planned this chapter over and over and over again in my mind so many times that it has worn through, but I hope you all still like it! Without further ado, When Things Fall Apart!**

**Chapter 17: When Things Fall Apart**

I woke up on the Sunday after the barbeque, my head clear. Since the event happened on Monday, it took a few days for my hangover to completely disappear, but it seemed to be gone now, thankfully. I leaped up out of bed, running over to the calendar on the wall, then sighing. Today would be the last day of the boredom of being grounded, but what a long day it would be. Every other kid in my own generation of Weasley/Potters would be going down to the swimming hole today, and I would not be allowed with them. Scorpius was also going...

Scorpius. I hadn't talked to him ever since the game of Truth or Dare, at the end of the school year. I don't know why, I just feel…. Hurt. Why _didn't_ he kiss me? I mean it's not like I _wanted _him to or anything it's just that…. A lot of people find the loophole of kissing on the cheek useful, but he isn't one of them. He has made out with many girls on the instruction of "kissing" them in Truth or Dare, so what would stop him with me? But it's not like I wanted him to kiss me.

But I did. I did want him to kiss me, and I don't know why. When his lips touched my cheek, I felt something. I could feel it… burning inside of me… it was so powerful…. But could it be real? The problem was: I _couldn't_ feel this way about Scorpius. I just couldn't. It would ruin our friendship, and I had no right to expect anything more than that from him anyway. Shaking my head vigorously, I leapt into my bathroom, turning on the shower and sheading my clothes quickly. I stepped into the spray, shivering at its icy temperature. It warmed slowly, and I sighed as the hot water came down my back.

When I'm done, I step out, wrapping a towel around me and stepping out into my room. Immediately, I scream. Albus whirls around to stare at me.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" I ask him, wrapping my towel closer to my wet body.

"Good morning to you too, Rosie." Albus smirks.

"Good morning Albus." I say, a fake smile plastered on my face, then I let it slide off. "Get out of my room."

"Wow, Rose, PMS much? Just wanted to tell you that Scorpius is here. You probably should get dressed. Or don't. I don't think Scorpius mi—"

"OUT!" Al chuckles as he ducks out the door, slamming it after him. I snatch my wand off my bedside table, flicking it so that my door locks magically.

-A+R+S-

I sighed as my gaze washed over the Burrow's kitchen. It was all I could do to stop myself from racing after Al up the stairs to see Rose myself. The last time I had spoken to her was the Truth or Dare her family had held at the end of the year, like always. I knew she was angry. I could picture her reaction in my head, crossing her arms and glaring at me. 'You could have done the dare for real! What's so different about me than the other girls?'. I was glad she had not confronted me, in a way, because, with all honesty, I couldn't think of a way to respond to that logic. The real reason of it was that, though I could have easily kissed her, if I had I wouldn't be able to control myself.

I had come a long way since second and third year when I had to control my breathing if Rose sucked on the end of her quill while writing an essay. I wasn't a complete pervert, though. And, actually, the only reason (apart from my good looks and charm) that I wasn't a virgin was because those spells of sexual frustration. The first time I had done it with a girl was with some Ravenclaw a year older than me, at the very end of fourth. The second time was with Abigail. These were the only times I had ever had sex.

The day with Abby was something that I wasn't proud of. It wasn't something that I had really thought about, and if I had been in my right mind, then I wouldn't have done it. The reason I was most ashamed of it, however, is because it happened on March 1st. For those of you who don't know, that means it happened on Lina's birthday.

I truly hadn't been in my right mind that day. The morning was fine, but my mood had gone downhill, along with my appetite, when, right before lunchtime, I had walked into what I thought was a deserted corridor to find Rose and Longbottom snogging. And when I say snogging, I mean hardcore snogging—tongue and everything—not just a peck on the lips to go off to class. They didn't even realize I was there, and I backed right out of the shortcut to go to Defense, taking the long way all around the castle. After the class was over, Abby caught up to me and asked me what was wrong. I said nothing, and she kept walking with me, silent. All our friends walked faster than us, eager for the free period they had after that. I watched Rose walk away, hand in hand with Longbottom, and anger had surged up inside of me. Looking sideways at Abby, I caught her staring at me. We stopped, and I turned to her, leaning down sharply and pressing my lips to hers. "Don't tell anyone about this." I managed to say before pushing her into a broom cupboard.

When Rose had confronted me about it, I didn't tell her why. I didn't tell her I was the one that instigated it. I didn't bother to say that it was because of her, because seeing her locked in a tight embrace with her boyfriend made my heart break over and over again.

"Hey mate." Al's voice interrupted my thoughts, and I turned my head around sharply to see him at the bottom of the staircase, swaggering over to him.

"Hey, Al. Rose coming down anytime soon?" I ask, looking away from the window I had been staring at the whole time I'd been thinking.

"Dunno. She had just come out of the shower when I came in—luckily with a towel around her mind you—and she screamed at me to get out. I told her to get dressed and come down, though I also said you might not mind if she just wears that downstairs."

"Nice." I deadpan, looking around the kitchen again. He puts an arm on my shoulder.

"You sure you don't want to come swimming with us, Scorp? I mean, it is summer after all…" Al trailed off, looking out the open window as well and fiddling with the bottom of his muggle t-shirt. His eyes took on a far away look, and I wondered what he was thinking about.

"Nah, I'll just keep Rose company. Sucks about her being grounded." I said. Al nodded, but I knew he wasn't really paying attention. We stared out the window for a moment, until I heard the slight sound of a throat being cleared behind me. Rose stood in the doorway, cheeks slightly flushed at the sight of us.

"Are you two going down to the swimming hole?" she asked us. Albus cleared his throat.

"I am." She nodded, and walked past us, out to the porch, not bothering to ask me. I sighed as I looked after her, my eyes longingly resting on her figure. Al goes to follow her out, and I go after him.

"Are your family planning any trips this year, Al? You went to America last summer." Rose inquired to her cousin, sitting down on the large porch swing and looking up at us. She doesn't look at me, though, just Albus. Al grins at her, sitting down in the middle of the swing.

"Nah, my parents decided to take a year off. No hot American girls this summer for me to hook up with." He smiled as he said it, but there was something off in his eyes. I made a mental note to ask Albus about it later as I sat down beside him. "What about you Rosie?"

"Nothing planned with my family. I'm going over to Lina's sometime this summer though, don't know when." She smiled a placid smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "And as for you Al, I'm sure you'll find _someone_ who will have you. Another drunk snog at a pub again I expect." Albus laughed shortly. A silence filled the porch. I guess both of my friends had something going on with them. The silence was broken as Lucy called to Al from the porch, gesturing towards the water, a pure white sundress complementing her form. Al nodded to her and stood up.

"I'm going to go. You two…." He trailed off as he looked between us, fully registering the cold silence. "….just… you know, have fun or whatever." He turned away and raced after Lucy and Molly. Rose turned her head and a faint smile crossed her perfect lips. I looked at them too. Al had fallen into step next to Lucy, who had her arm linked through Molly's. I sighed. Sometime over the year, the two sisters had had a fight about Molly's new makeover the girls had given her. They hadn't spoken for a few months, but they had made up around the same time the term ended. They had recognized their differences, and were the closest of friends once more. How I wished that would happen with Rose and I. Speaking of Rose…

"Have you had breakfast?" She asked, looking sideways at me cautiously. I shook my head, and she gave me a light grin. "Well, come on then!" Ten minutes later we sat eating at the base of a tree in the orchard, the one where everyone's initials had been written. Mostly there were just the initials of couples. The very oldest read: AW+MP, for Grandma and Grandpa. Through the ages though, there was GW+HP, HG+RW, PW+AS, and FD+BW. As we munched on toast, an awkward silence settled between us. I dusted off my hands of the last crumbs of my toast and leaned back against the slender maple.

"I wish I could come here more often." I said, trying to break the tension.

"Mmmhmm…" Rose hummed slightly, using this sound to confirm that she heard me. I sighed slightly and went on.

"If only your dad—"

"What about my dad?" Rose sat up sharply, sitting up and leaning over so that she could face me. I blinked at her sudden movement and the anger in her voice.

"I was just going to say that if only your dad didn't hold a grudge against my family." I knew at once that I had said the wrong thing, for Rose stood up suddenly.

"You act like it's _my_ father's fault." She said angrily. Matching her anger, I leaped to my feet.

"Then whose fault is it? Mine?"

"Well it's not my father's fault he can't trust you! You look like his enemy!" Rose yelled at me.

"And that's _my_ fault? Your dad _has_ to know that mine is not happy with what he's done! Do you think he's proud?"

"That's not fair! My dad has no reason to forgive yours!"

"NO REASON? How about the reason that everyone makes mistakes?"

"You don't even know how hard everything is for my dad."

"Oh, yes, accepting that his old school enemy's son is friends with his daughter. Must be horribly hard!" Rose looks furious, and she points one finger at me, stepping closer.

"_You're_ not the one to come home every Christmas and summer and have your father look at you disappointedly. _You're_ not the one who has to have their father hate their best friend! _You're _not the one who has to endure his glares at your best friend and him never being happy!"

"So what do you want me to do, leave?"

"I don't know what I want you to do!"

"It's not my fault your father hates me, Rose! I've tried hard, too."

"Tried hard? You just try to annoy him! Why would you even want to try hard? What does it mean to you?" I stared at her, my chest heaving.

"What does it mean to _me?_ Fuck, Rose, it means the world to me." She stares back at me, her blue eyes boring into mine.

"Why? Why does it mean anything to you? Why would—" She couldn't go on, though, because I had kissed her.

-A+R+S-

Shock jolted through my body as Scorpius brought his lips to meet mine. I froze as he kissed me, his lips tasting of the butter from the toast and a little of chocolate. His warm mouth moved against mine. My world unfroze, and without thinking, without realizing what I was doing, I kissed back. My arms wrapped slowly around his neck, and his hands steadied my waist. I brought the kiss deeper, pulling his tighter, not wanting to let go. _He's an even better kisser than Frank._ I managed to think, and then I paused, coming back to my senses. What was I doing? Scorpius was my best friend, I had told myself that before in the morning, I had told myself this in the morning, I had _told_ myself I couldn't think of him this way. I pulled away, disconnecting our lips, unwinding my arms from his neck. He pulled away from me, stepping back to give me space and letting his arms fall to his sides. He searched my face. I was still staring at the ground in front of me, wondering what had just happened. Then it hit me. I looked up into Scorpius' eyes; my own blue eyes panicked.

"Oh my god." I said, taking a few paces away. "Oh my god." I looked in horror at Scorpius, and began to move faster away from him.

"Rose—" he started toward me, but I moved away.

"I'm so sorry." I said hysterically, moving away. "I'm _so_ sorry." I began to run back to the house, not stopping when I heard him call my name again, and I didn't stop once until I reached my room, slamming it behind me and collapsing onto the bed, sobbing.

-A+R+S-

She had run. She had run away when I kissed her. For a moment I thought she wouldn't, thought she would break away and tell me she loved me, or something like that. I had hoped she would stay. I had hoped she would be fine. She had run. She had run away when I kissed her.

-A+R+S-

I looked blankly up at my ceiling, studying the cracks that run through it. The one I had looked at most in the last few weeks resembled a heart…. Or maybe it was just my brain deluding me. I didn't know what to do. I hadn't done anything this holiday; although I was not grounded anymore I didn't bother to go out. Out would mean seeing Scorpius, and after what had happened last Sunday, I couldn't possibly do that. I was mortified. I couldn't face him, couldn't face the fact that we had kissed and I shouldn't have… shouldn't have even thought about it. Suddenly a thought was brought to the forefront of my mind.

_You _will _come over this year, won't you?_ Lina's voice replayed into my head. I leaped up, dashing over to the door and racing down the stairs. "MUM?" I yelled at the floor of my mum and dad's room at large. Hermione Weasley popped her head out of her door, looking slightly surprised to see me standing there in just my pajamas.

"Yes, Rosie? What is it?" I wrung my hands.

"I was wondering if I could possibly go over to Lina's for the rest of the summer?" My mother pulled her whole body out of the crack in the door, folding her arms and looking at me quizzically. She was dressed in a white robe and her slippers. I wondered if dad was still asleep.

"Of course you can, but why now? Did something happen?" My mother knew me all too well. Maybe it was because I was very like her sometimes, in emotional terms.

"No, everything's fine," I lied, feeling guilty. "I just want to go over there because I just remembered. I didn't go last year, so I feel I should make it up to her." My mother nods, still looking wary.

"Okay, then. I guess you can come back at the end of the summer to get your stuff and go with us to King's Cross." I fake smiled, shaking my head.

"I'll just bring my stuff to Lina's. I'll owl you though." My mother nodded, and I turned back to go downstairs. I had to call her before, even though I knew she would consent. Picking up the telephone, I dialed the number I had memorized and waited for the first ring. It came, and after a few moments my friend came to the line.

"Hello?" she said curiously.

"Hey Lina." I spoke hoarsely into the phone, then cleared my throat.

"Rose!" she exclaimed. "What's up?"

"Can I come over? Now?" I asked, and for the first time since Sunday, tears clouded my sight. I brushed them away.

"Of course." My friend said understandingly of my tone. "Do you want to stay the rest of the summer?"

"Yeah, if that's okay."

"It's fine. Come over whenever you like." I muttered thanks and hung up the phone, brushing away the tears. I then raced back up to my room and stuffed everything I could reach into my trunk, waving my wand to make it all fit. Looking in the mirror, I examined my reflection. I was wearing mini pajama shorts and a pink top. I changed quickly, brushing my hair and splashing my face to wake me up. I was just about to joist my trunk up with my wand and magic it out of the clean room when something caught my eye. It was settled on my desk next to my stationary. A letter. Stepping closer to it warily, I saw my name written in elegant script on the middle of the envelope. I knew the handwriting. Scorpius.

I wondered how long it had been sitting there. I definitely hadn't put it there, and hadn't been in the room when it was delivered. How could he have— My thought were broken through when Aurora screeched in impatience, flexing her wings in the small cage. I looked around the room quickly, looked back to the letter, and then stuffed it into my pocket. I would read it later. Grasping my belongings in one hand and my wand in the other, I turned on the spot, holding my destination in mind. _29 Hayes Street, Bromley, United Kingdom._

-A+R+S-

I lay beside Lina on her double bed, trying to sleep as one of my best friend breathed next to me. Giving up, I sighed and pulled the letter Scorpius had left for me out from under my bed, opening it softly and folding out the parchment to read.

_Rose,_

_ I know what you're expecting me to say. It was a mistake. We should just be friends. It's me, not you. Well, screw that. I've been in love with you ever since second year. I'm not going to say sorry. I'm not going to say that we should forget. What I'm going to say is: We are not our ancestors. The past will not dictate our future. What I'm going to say is: Will you go out with me?_

_Scorpius_

I read the letter over and over again in my brain as I began to fall asleep next to Lina.

_I know what you're expecting me to say. It was a mistake. We should be friends. It's me, not you._

I was expecting you to say that.

_Well, screw that._

I was hoping you'd say that, too_. _

_I've been in love with you ever since second year. _

You have?

_I'm not going to say sorry. _

I'm not asking you to.

_I'm not going to say that we should forget. _

We can't forget.

_We are not our ancestors._

I know that.

_The past will not dictate our future. _

How can it not?

_Will you go out with me?_

**A/N: Thank you all of my readers for following me! Yes, this is the end of The Spark, but not the end of the series, I promise. As soon as I post this, the first chapter of _Us _will be posted, too. I hope you will all stay with me. By the way, I would like my reviewers to answer the following questions about my story.**

**Who is the character you feel most like?**

**What character would you like to hear more from?**

**What is your favorite couple?**

**What role would you like Hugo to play in the future?**

**Thanks! Marauder on, all!**

**Xxx Senta1000**


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